r 



Song of Kansas 

anb 

Ott]er poems. 



Ey JOEL MOODY. 



'There is no history so true as the poetic." 

— Marcflla Howland. 




TOPpK A. KANSAS: 
GEO. W. C R aXP fr.^ftPffl'GTb^ 

i8qo. ^ 'i 



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762,42.4- 



Copyright, 1890, by Joel Moody. 



PREFACE. 

Each of these poems was written for a special 
purpose — to commemorate some fact or event in 
my own life. The Song of Kansas is a tribute to 
the State in which I have lived nearly thirty-two 
years. My life is a part of its history. I wrote 
the "Song" for my children, who were born in 
Kansas, and desired to know something of the 
early history of their State. For this purpose I 
have added ample notes. 

The other poems connect me with things and per- 
sons, about which or to whom they were written, 
and thus they also are a part of my life. There 
has been of late a personal demand on me for their 
publication. I send them forth, not for profit or 
fame, but simply as messages of Patriotism, of 

Friendship, and Love. 

THE AUTHOK. 

THE MAPLES: 

Mound City, Kansas, 

September 1, 1890. 



CONTENTS. 



TAQE. 

Peep ACE v 

Contents vii 

The Song of Kansas 1 

Introduction 3 

I. 

Coronado's Maich through the Plains in the Year 1541... 5 

The March 5 

ir. 

The Advent of Cohimbia and the Natal Song of Kansas.. 15 

Columbia 17 

The Natal Hour 19 

III. 

The Struggle in Kansas with Freedom against the Great 

Hydra — American Slavery 21 

Pardee Butler 25 

Charles W. Dow 25 

William Phillips 25 

Thomas W. Barber 26 

Andrew H. Reeder 27 

The Invasion 28 

Lawrence 28 

Freedom's Champion 32 

Liberty and John Brown 32 

Col. John W. Geary 41 

Linn 42 

Osawanda 43 

John Brown 75 

The Civil AVar , 78 



viii Contents. 

The Song of Kansas — Continued: 

IV, PiGE. 

Kansas in the Reign of Peace 80 

Peace 80 

The State 81 

The Home 83 

The Early Pioneer 85 

The Prairie Fire 86 

The Heroes 89 

Commerce 88 

The Flag 89 

History's Wisdom 91 

Tlie Sunflower 93 

The Patriot's Love 93 

MiSCELIiANEOUS POEMS 95 

The Prayer upon the Wall 97 

Dawn 101 

The Tear 102 

Life 103 

The Last Roll • 104 

University of Michigan: Threnody 107 

Old Captain Sumpter 115 

The Guest at Home 120 

The Sawmill of the Gods 121 

Looking Backward 124 

A Young Lady's Holocaust 128 

The Child of Fate 129 

A Scotch Song: "Stormy Weather" lao 

A German Drinking Song 131 

"Eximpt" 133 

Tlie Loaned Book 134 

Alone 135 

The Enchanted Garden 136 

Silver Threads 137 

What is the World to Me? 138 

"The Maples" 140 

Historic Notes 143 



INTRODUCTION. 



T STRIKE the chord of the enchanted shell 
To Clio given, whose soft strains lingering dwell 
With him who makes the ancient thing his joy, 
And grateful is, those strains his steps decoy: — 
With him who strays by ivy-mantled wall 
And hears the trembling voice of Ages call: — 
With him who in some dark abode or wild 
Finds the first footprints of rude Nature's child, 
With kalends numbered from the oldest page 
And cut in sullen stone moss-grown with age: — 
With him who dares to ride the endless nuiin. 
To tread the mountain tops and pathless plain, 
Or to explore a world whose people eld 
No page had known or civil eye beheld; 
Or where within these ancient realms new forms 
Arise, where civil life is built, where warms 
The patriot heart, and in the fireside blaze 
We find the old expiring as we gaze. 
Fondly with the blue-eyed Muse I dwell, — she 
Who haunts the restless realms of History. 



tJI/e ^ong of Kansas. 
I. 

CORONADO'S MARCH THROUGH THE PLAINS IN THE YEAR 1541. 



THE MARCH. 

It was when pious, prond and bold 

Carlos the Fifth reigned king of Spain, 
Old chevaliers, with worldly gain 
Imbued, crossed the mighty main 

To plant the cross, and search for gold. 

Of valor, who shall question that? 

Each one a knight, had kissed the hand 
Of lady love, and sworn to stand 
By Honor"' 8 sword in foreign land, — 

Swore by the spurs, and tipped the hat. 

And thus stout men, and brave and true. 
Skilled in the art of war, and lore 
Of sea, — toward setting sun they bore, 
While Coronado, far from shore. 

Waved his dear land a long adieu. 



r^ 



The Song of Kansas. 

Tims, while King Charles did tell his beads 
And tinker at his clocks, there came, 
The highest on the roll of fame; 
The choicest chiefs,^ in Honor's name, — 

Valiant they came for valiant deeds, 

To the great land of ancient mines, — 
To kingly Montezuma's home, — 
Through cities old and gray to roam, — 
To that rich realm in weirdly tome 

Foretold by astrologic signs. 

From the trackless path of the wide 
Sea came, to take the path on land 
Of many an Indian band; — 
Perchance to find and shake the hand 

Of lost Nunez, and him provide. ^ 

And soon in part their hopes fulfilled; — 
The Spaniard lost on land and sea 
Cabe^a came, and told in free 
And easy tale the story he 

Had heard of men profoundly skilled 

In all the arts of peace and war, — 
That he had traveled over plains 
Of weary sand, where kindly rains 
Had never come, — and mountain chains 

Whose peaks, high capped in snows afar, 



V. 



The Song of Kansas. 

Were filled with gold; and that they stand 
Like sentinels to show the way 
To cities gemmed like some bright spray; 
And at their feet outspread did lay 

Bounteous pastures, and fruitful land. 

Ileralder of a mighty state ! 

Whose soil thy own brave feet have trod, 
Whose hand first waved the potent rod 
Of empire o'er her emerald sod, 

Cabe(^a, first among the great ! 



?i 



Now, Coronado must adventure — • 
He is a chosen child of Fate; 
His name must stand among the great, 
Undaunted he of scorn or hate, 

His star did not arise for censure. 

On to Rio Colorado ! 

Mark the dim trail which Diaz took ! 

Search the land Alar('on forsook ! 

Plant there the cross and Holy Book ! 
Then on asrain with Alvarado, 



To rare old cities of the hills 

Held fast within their lap of earth. 
Whose history and ancient birth 
Forestalls the years; whose golden worth 

The multitude with wonder fills ! ^ 



The Song of Kansas. 

Weary and worn, those sturdy sons 

Of Spain marched on through torrid heat 
And stifling sands, at last to meet, 
Not hopes fulfilled, nor waters sweet 

To taste, nor wealth in hoarded tons 

To harvest in like golden sheaves; 
But savage men with filthy wives, 
And homes of mud for weirdly lives. ■* 
Then blasted hopes unsheatlied the knives, 

And Pueblos fell like Autumn leaves. 

Then on old Zuni's heights was woe: — 
"Where once was freedom now the walled 
Fortress shuts in a race enthralled; — 
And where in peace and joy they called 

Upon their gods, a foreign foe 

Has turned to mockery their prayers. 
Then, ancient head and saint of j-ears, 
Downcast, trembling and sick with fears. 
Implores the Hidden Power in tears 

For one to save his race, who dares 

To give his life that men may live: — 

And though the hand of Heaven be slow, 
The prayer unanswered does not go. 
A life is asked — no promised bow 

In sky, or hand of brave to give, 



The Song of Kansas. 

But him who can fond hopes beguile; — 
Who can with sly and studied art 
Pluck every fear from his stout heart; — 
Who can from home and world depart, 

While Death wafts up to heaven his smile. 

Such man was found. Nor do the years 
Pass o'er a race of men or age, 
In this old world's story, when rage 
Of lust blots fair History' s page, 

Without some man whom time endears, 

As the great savior of his race. 

To come and offer up his life. 

Not such as told of mythic strife 

In ancient lore, or story rife 
With deeds that do their gods disgrace; 

Nor mighty one among the stars, 
In Vedic poem sung; nor vast 
Old giant of the earth, to cast 
The weighty spear, and then at last 

Forsake mankind, like bloody Mars; 

But came then forth a man inspired 
With holy, grand, immortal sense 
Of love, which goes like sweet incense 
Up to heaven, and is recompense 

Alone for all of life required. ^ 



10 The Song of Kansas. 

In pity, tlien, this fable told 

The savage sage to save his race: 
That far away some hallowM place 
Was known to him, where the white-face 

Doth dwell and dress in silks and gold; 

And that they eat from golden plates, 

With silver spoons and forks and knives; 
That fairies live with men as wives; 
That mankind live enchanted lives, 

Where want comes not nor strifes nor hates; 

That lie will lead o'er hills and dells, 
To that fair land where cities old 
Are filled with tons of wealth untold; 
To where a king is clad in gold. 

And sleeps ' neath trees with golden* bells. 

Brave savage guide ! his story told, 
Dupes Coronado, and his train 
Of idol worshipers. In vain 
Shall death appall; he shall be slain, 

And save mankind, like gods of old. 

Then brought he forth the pipe of peace. 
And lit the sacred fire, and said: 

"This pipe I smoke, that our brave dead. 
Whose souls move round the mountain red 

May come and give our woes release. 



The Song of Kansas. 11 

"Now will yon go to old Qnivira; 

To that fair land of onr red pipe, ° 
Where yon may reap yonr harvest ripe 
Of brilliant hopes, and joyons wipe 
All care away; where rests the weary?" 

"I go," qnoth he, "to clntch the spoil." 
And tlins the pions fable wronght 
Into the fancies of his thonght, 
And led him on, till he was tanght 
The solid facts of Kansas soil. 

O'er the vast plains, upon the trail ^ 
Of eld commercial bauds, who bring 
The northern fur, for the bright wing 
Of tropic bird, they go wandering; 

Far from their stores or friendly sail. 

Through herds of buffalo, ^ who came 
With savage look and shaggy 'mane, 
To question why this warlike train 
Should here molest their ancient reign; 

By whose command, and in what name. 

Prophets they came, to tell these savage 
Monarchs of the grassy fields 
That the hard hand of Time, that wields 
The destiny of worlds, and shields 

A race of men though born to ravage, 



12 The Song of Kansas. 

Now soon shall strike, and savage beast 
And savage man shall hear their doom: 
Give way ! stand back ! pass off ! give rnnni 
To the weird sisters of the Loom ! 

Hail ! mighty Genius of the East. 

Thus to Kansas Coronado came, 

With pious Turco for his guide; 

O'er blinding sands and rivers wide; 

Through valleys gay and rich they ride; 
And find, not Fortune fair, — but Fame. 

*'Bring forth my Indian guide," quoth he; 
••'Where is thy shining gokU Now tell ! 
Shake mute thy head t Here goes to hell 
Thy soul ! " — and the firm savage fell. 
The first fruits of the golden tree. '•' 

Thus the host of Coronado 

Entered on the plains of Kansas, — 
Thus they made the first advances, 
Not to possess her fields and ranches, 

But to grasp a golden shadow. 

Nor was the kingdom that he sought 
Filled with wisdom's storied page; 
Nor ruled by hoary -headed sage; — 
Here was no land to quench the rage 

Of fancies that his brain had wrought. 



The Song of Kansas. 

He stopped far short of that famed land, 
Which princely Madoc's children name; 
Whose beauteous face and manly frame 
Bespoke a race of Cimric fame; 

Long lost on the Atlantic strand. ^ " 

He found Quivira wild and fair, 

Nature's rude child; yet in her face 

Might see the vision of a race 

That, clasped within her fond embrace, 

Should conquer earth, and sky, and air. 

His was the life and his the era, 

When Fancy pictured Fancy's child; — 
A land where Summer, soft and mild. 
Cast flowers upon the Year, and smiled 

To thus bedeck her fair Quivira. 

Here on the banks of dark Missouri ^ ^ 
The peaceful country found, but hero 
For unrequited toil paid dear; 
The golden tree found not, nor tear 

From savage eye, for savage story. 

Here stayed his course, and waved the rod 
Of empire over Kansas, young 
And fair; and the dear cross where hung 
The Christ was raised, and hymn was sung, 

In honor of his race and God. 



14 The Song of Kansas. 

Ilis hopes a prophecy fulfilled, — 
The vision that he saw is ours, — 
Ours the gift of heavenly powers, — 
A golden land of fruits and Howers, — 

And deeds which have the ages thrilled. 

Then backward Coronado bent 

His course; sadly, slowly, unwept. 
He went. Here savage Virtue kept 
Her reign, and here fair Pallas ^ ^ slept 

In peace, till dawned a great event. 



Tlie Song of Kansas. 15 

II. 

THE ADVENT OF COLUMBIA AND THE NATAL SONG OF 
KANSAS. 

Three hundi-ed times and twelve, the great 
Pendulum which measures on its arc 
Both space and time, and there the dark 
Mysteries of passing years doth mark, 

Ticked out the coming of a state. 

And in those years what change has come ! 
New empires rise while others die, — 
Cities of old in ruins lie, — 
And the new fret the vaulted sky, 

With battlement and spacious dome. 

And Europe's map, drawn in the face 
Of deadly "War, on bloody field, 
Now sadly changed by those who wield 
The diplomatic axe, and shield 

The conquering heroes of the race. 

As with a wizard's touch old Spain 

Transformed; her knighthood gone, her star 
Of glory set at Trafalgar; — 
And yet fair Kansas, from afar, 

Recalls the story of her reign. 



16 The Song of Kansas. 

Then came fair Science to indite 

Her hymn, — who with her hammer knocks 
High truths from out the solid rocks, 
And deftly cuts from Kansas blocks, 

Grander than Cnidian Aphrodite. 

She holds within her mystic hand 
The potent rod which doth unarm 
The mighty Jove, — she doth alarm 
The thunderer on his throne, and charm 

His lightnings with her magic -wand. 

She hath disrobed the ancient myth, — 

Tracked home the planets and the suns, — 
Measured and weighed the minor ones: 
Now dusts her scales of sundry tons, 

And then the atoms weighs therewith. 

She doth invade old Neptune's realm, — 
Brings from his depths the hidden lore, — 
Speaks through his waves from shore to shore, 
And sets the trident that he bore, 

On every sailor's prow and helm. 

Cities unearthed stand forth and tell 

Old tales. To sight comes back the place 

Where Virgil sat, — and buried mace 

Of high old courts, — and Troy's proud race 

Appears again, where Priam fell. 



J 



The Song of Kansas. 17 

Now the firm hand is laid on ghost 

That haunts Arcadia's ancient shades, — 
The veil is torn away, and fades 
Upon our sight the phantom maids, 

And gods, which the old classics boast. 

From time's great depths, dark India speaks 
A wisdom by the priests of old, — 
And gods appear in mystic mold, 
Fair, lotus-eyed, in snaky fold. 

Or sit in snows on mountain peaks. 

Great Egypt, mistress of the Nile, 
In hieroglyphic lore appears, — 
Land of dark Memnon, and quaint seers, 
And mystic rites; the sullen tears 

Of Time make havoc of thy smile. 

COLUMBIA. 

Earth kissed the heaven, and then gave birth 
To Tethys fair, whose soul on wings 
Of fruitful love arose, — then springs 
Immortal Doris forth, who brings 

To manhood mighty sons of earth. 

From these Columbia^' comes forth, 
A nereid of the sea, where old 
Oceanus keeps his watery fold, — 
She comes with hair like floating gold, — 

Star-gemmed her robe, — of priceless worth 



18 The Song of Kansas. 

Ilcr band; and wiping from lior head 
The slimy wrongs which Ocean kept, 
And blinding tears sad Misery wept; 
Then on the surf-beat shore she stept, 

And held aloft her hand, and said: 

'"From north to south, from east to west, 
To Truth and Liberty this land 
I dedicate; and here shall stand 
And live the right; here Law's command 
Shall reign, and here mankind be blest. 

*'IIere soon shall rise the dazzling sun, 
That gilds the shield of Liberty; — 
Sweet Virtue here shall honored be, — 
Here shall I plant the fruitful tree; 
Here give to earth a Washington. 

"Here shall I raise the starry flag, 

Kow my encircling drapery. 

And on its ample folds shall be 

A constellation of the free. 

Upon the highest mountain crag, 

*'And in the lowest vale or moat, — 
Lpon the lakes and mighty streams 
On gulf and ocean's surge, its beams 
Shall fall on earth like angels' dreams, — 
Here shall my proud flag freely float. 



The Song of Kansas. 19 

"And as the coming time advances, 
There shall upon this flag appear 
A central star; liolj and clear 
Its light shall shine, and be more dear 
To me than all, — that star is Kansas. 

"Kansas the name — ^ * child of the wind 
That sweeps her grassy fields, and brings 
The storm upon his fretful wings. 
Or on the cyclone rides, and flings 
The torn and scattered wreck behind, 

"But ere that time shall come the flail 
Of Truth will fall upon this land, 
Harder than stroke of Titan's hand; 
The golden grain, by Heaven's command, 
Is tlirashed, and winnowed in the gale." 

Thus said, the goddess flung her robe 
Upon the breeze, and took her flight 
From the Atlantic shore; her bright 
Path a blazing meteor's light, 

With heavenly train, shone round the globe. 

THE NATAL HOUR. 

Decorate the Thirtieth of May! ^ •' 
Shall we now the great act deplore 
Which gave us Kansas C — nevermore. 
She was called fresh from the dark shore 

Of Time; she came; hail mighty day! 



20 The Song of Kansas. 

All hail! Kansas this day was bom; 
JS'ot fuU-tic'dged and arnied^ like fair 
Minerva from the matted liair 
Of Jove, to wing her flight in air, 

And chant "-'Ad astra''' to the morn; 

But in the dark and sullen storm 
Of civil strife; like one without 
A friend or home; and tossed about 
Forlorn, and mocked by the rude shout 

Of ruttian bands in demon's form. 

Sweet Kansas of the fragrant plain ! 
Thy natal hour shall mark a day 
Wreathed in flowery love; whose bright ray 
Shall gild the world, and whose sweet lay 

Shall charm like some ^oliau strain. 



The Song of Kansas. 21 

III. 

THE STRUGOLE IN KANSAS WITH FISKEDOM AGAINST THE 
GKEAT HYDKA — AMEKICAN SLAYEKY. 

And now we turn the sable leaf 

Of that great book where Time records 
The wrongs, the strifes, the bitter words, 
Where Vice with Error's heart accords, 

And read the story of our grief. 

Quaff then the darker drink, brought fresh 
From Lethe's stream; for sure I am 
That when this world's great book you scan, 
No darker deeds are found, where man 

Against mankind in living flesh 

Has waged tlie wrong. Quaff and forget, 
That e'er the issue could be made. 
That ever premise had been laid, 
That ever human tongue had said, 

"Where man his brother man has met, 

That slavery is right. ^ ^ Here then 
The issue came, and war on earth: 
Shall Kansas from her hallow' d birth 
Be free or slave? Proclaim it forth, 

And heaven and hell attend on men. 



22 Tlie Song of Kansas. 

Slavery, like the great Python 
Apollo slew; — bred in the slime 
Of earth; — whose birth was the first crime 
Against mankind, and that sublime 

Ini(|uity of hell to dethrone 

The rights of man, now crawling winds 
Herein in slim}', snaky fold: 
Or like the dragon great of old, 
On Thebes' rich plain in story told, 

Great Cadmus slew, and wond' rous finds 

That from his teeth sown in the earth, 
A race of men comes forth from clods, 
For civil strife; and whom the gods 
Turned man to man, barring all odds, 

Against his equal man by birth. 

Python and dragon both, with fierce 

And bloody mouth, crawling it came; — 

Eyes that shot forth a burning flame 

Glared round for prey; and naught could tame 

The gloated beast of hell, nor pierce 

Its flinty scales, till it had fed 

And fattened on the blood and flesh 

Of Freedom's sons. This past, then fresh 

From ample meal the vengeful mesh 

He slipped, and wounded, writhing fled. 



The Song of Kansas. 23 

But e'er that time let me recall, 

And brietiv note, some deeds of crime, — 
Some deeds of valor won, sublime 
To stand throughout recorded time, — 

Or passing note how heroes fall. 

And Slavery's banner now unfurled 
Dark on the breeze of Kansas floats. 
Strange flag! on which foul Treason dotes; 
Whereon is writ: "Missouri votes 

On Kansas soil, or bursts a world ! " 

Classical in the third degree ! 

But what does Slavery care? her flag 
Floats not o'er classic halls; her rag 
Was made in Freedom's blood to dras:. 

And blazon forth iniquity. 

And tliis strange flag herein they send. 
Painted in black, with threats of war, 
And words of hell, — and from afar 
Comes the red flag with its lone star, 

And the rufflan to defend. 

Then Slavery's champions these words 
Proclaim: "Come direful War and whet 
Thy sword; and let no freeman set 
His foot on Kansas soil, — ^'' forget 

That he is man, ye ruftian hordes ! ^ ^ 



A 



23 



24 The Song of Kamas. 

"Let bogus votes ^ ^ and bogus laws ^^ 

Stand as the will of God I Drive out ^ ^ 
The villain cursed who talks about 
The ' Higher Law ! ' ^ ^ Lot him not spout 
His treason here ! The righteous cause 

*'0f slavery is recognized 

By the first law of man and God; — ■ 
Kansas we own, and on her sod 
Shall stand no man, unless he nod 
To our great Truth^ and be baptized 

"And taken into fellowship 

With all the dear, beloved ones 
Who are not classed with Freedom's sons. 
Give to Northern men solid tons 
Of iron hail ! and then let slip 

"The dogs of War! Let no church ope 
The door to him who cannot pray 
For Slavery's cause !-* Let no man stay 
On Kansas soil, who casts a ray 
Of heavenly light on sinking hope." 



Brave Kansas ! Now thy bitter hour 
Comes like a gale of piercing woe, — 
And where fair Freedom stands, the foe 
Unsheathes his sword. Her friends bend low 

The neck beneath usurping power. 



The Song of Kansas. 25 

PARDEE BUTLER. 

Strange craft appears upon the breast 
Of swift Missouri's stream, — a boat 
Of two logs made, bound fast to float, 
With Pardee Butler, who of note 

Had made his name. Upon his crest 

Tlie letter "E." is stamped; — and flags 
Of divers kinds, with mottoes rare 
And quaint, lend to the ambient air 
Weird and vile visions of despair: — 

But Hope cheers him while Justice lags. ^ ^ 



CHARLES W. DOW. 

Now falls the innocent young Dow, 
Whose manly breast the fatal sliot 
Beceived unarmed. No fiend, "come hot 
From hell," would his base honor blot, 

With deed so base as this foul blow. ^ ** 



WILLIAM PHILLIPS. 

Brave Phillips, to tlie call of Truth, 
Protests against the fraud which made 
Proud Kansas fall within the shade 
Of Slavery's niglit, and he is laid 

Beneath its heel with no relentiue: ruth. 



26 The Song of Kansas. 

Torn from his home, where tender ties 
Bi7id fast the heart, — borne to the den 
Of slimy Vice and Hate, and then 
Shorn of his hair, and bare as when 

On eartli he came, prostrate he lies, 

A fresh victim to Slavery's cause. 

Game of the knights of tar and raUf 
Doomed to the auction block and sale! ^ 
He passed a work of rare entail 

According to the ''bogus" laws. 

This done, and sanctioned by a call 
Of Slavery's ^'-law and order'''' men, 
A band of ruffians from their den, 
Into his bright home, where children 

Clasp his knees, and tender cries fall 

On his sad heart, and where dear wife 
Implores and prays, and where to save 
A life the law protects a slave 
As well as king, came this conclave 

And there struck down a sacred life. -'' 

THOMAS W. BARBER. 

And Barber fell in rural shade, 

Where loving wife had taught to twine 
Around his door the blooming vine, 
Who shared his kiss in love divine 

And his brifflit home an Eden made. ^ ^ 



Tlie Song of ICansas. 27 

How sad and cold the wintiy day, 

Wlien his sonl passed within tlie vale 
Of death. The winds took up the wail 
Of grief, and bore it on tlie gale. 

Tlien freemen gazed on his cold clav. 

And called on Heaven, and raised tlie hand 
And swore to sow, and then to reap 
The seed which Freedom cast, nor sleep 
Till the avenging sword shall sweep 

Her base-born foes from out the land. 

ANDREW H. EEEDER. 

Then Reeder's life they seek. -^ The red 
Hand of Murder now waits to strike. 
His manly justice thej dislike, 
And bowie-knife and deadly pike 

Admonish him. Then sad he fled; 

For he had learned to love this land 
Of blooming verdure and renown. 
'Neath shade of night, no name to own. 
Disguised, he stole away unknown, 

Dreading the blow of Slavery's hand. 

Then in his secret refuge waits 

For his escape, — what oaths he hears! 
"What direful threats I what torture bears! 
What serves the honors that ha wears ^ 

All these would fall by Southern hates. 



} The Song of Kansas. 

Now sees, within his recess dim, 
The dagger waiting for his life. 
How breaks liis heart in secret strife, 
How yearns for home, where weeping wife 

And waiting children pray for him ! 

THE INVASION. 

Blow now the blast of direful War! 

Call in the hordes of "Southern Rights!" 
Come from Virginia's mountain lieights! 
Come from the ocean, where delights 

To float the flag with the "Lone Star."^'" 

And let Missouri now stand forth, 
A solid phalanx on the call 
Of sheriff ! Let her bring her small 
Arms and weighty cannon, and all 

Her chivalry, to crush the North. ^^ 

LAWRENCE. 

Why? Nestled in the lovely vale 
Wliere now the Kansas gently flows 
Serene, and where the lily grows, 
Like drooping Love beside the rose. 

And where the powers of Peace prevail. 

There Lawrence stands, a lovely queen 

Of May. Sweet Lawrence ! Freedom's child ! 
Cradled in love, and taught the mild 
And gentle ways of Truth, she smiled 

In graceful beauty not unseen. 



The Song of Kansas. 29 

The love of man for man she taught; 

She taught that human rights are dear; 

She loved the home, and sought to cheer 

Sad hearts; and she erected here 
A citadel for honest thought. 

This was enough. With sullen look 
Great guns of war on Oread 
Frown down on her defenseless head. 
And now the baleful star has said: 
"Her doom is writ in Fate's great book."^^ 

Then came indictments and grave writs 
For treason, construction of, or high; 
Which had been found with legal eye, 
In ample form and quality, 

And sanctioned by juristic wits. 

So ordered by Lecompte, the great 

First Justice, Chief; — upon whose head 

Had clustered all the glory shed 

By Soutliern laws; — whose life was fed 

On that rare meat, early and late, 

Which doth enchant and chain the mind, — 
While Slavery had entwined around 
His heart, — and in whose smile he found 
That pure, sweet grace, which doth confound 

Justice and those to her inclined. ^^ 



30 The Song of Kansas. 

Three victims now for treason ^"^ stand 
In proud sublimity, — -each name 
Denotes its cause; its public fame; 
Its noble birth, and why it came 

To do its work sublimely grand. 

Free State Hotel — Kansas Free State — 
Herald of Freedom,^ — these the foes 
Of Slavery's cause; — here were the woes 
From "Bogus" laws denounced, — here blows 

For Justice struck sublimely great. 

*'Blow up the fortress Freedom built ! 

Let cannon roar ! Tear down the wall ! 
Cast out the press ! The shattering fall 
Will silence speech ! Sot fire to all 
Within, and crush the freenum's guilt!" — 

These the hoarse shouts of Sheriff Jones. 
The savage work is done, and there 
The fiends of hell ride in the air; 
And frowning furies of despair 

Shriek their shrill notes in dismal tones. 

Carry the news, oh Crime ! nor lag 
In thy hot haste, to herald forth 
The fall of Lawrence and the North ! 
Now over all, in matchless worth 

To Southern cause, the great red flag, 



The Song of Kansas. 

Whereon the lone star shines, there waves 
And flaunts insulting in the gale; — 
But Freedom, listening, heard the wail 
Of her three friends, and saw the trail 

Of Treason passing o' er their graves. ^ ^ 

Lawrence, you yet shall drink the cup 
Of gall, and wear the weeds of woe; — 
You yet shall feel the savage blow 
And deadly shaft from Treason's bow, — - 

Yet go down and with Affliction sup. ^ ^ 

Tills past, the victor's crown shall wear. 

Lawrence, no more thy fate bewail ! 

Sprung from the ashes, thee we hail, 

Immortal Phoenix of the vale ! 
And thy proud name and glory share. 

Here shall our children joyous come, 

From Learning's ample fount to drink; — 
Perhaps from Euclid here to shrink, 
And with poetic Virgil, link 

The Trojan race to that of Rome. 

Or here in academic shade 

Y/ith Plato walk; or find tne school 
Where Athens' sage made wise the fool; 
Or trace beneath the tyrant's rule 

Great states, and see their glory fade; 



32 The Song of Kansas. 

Or hero, in some sequestered spot, 
The song and theme of poet praioc; 
Or from the heights of Oread gaze 
On other worhls, and catch the rajs 

Of suns whose years bewikier thought. 

freedom's champion. 

Now the great Nestor of debate. 

The manly Sumner, stands with bold 
And godlike front, and there unrolled 
The scroll of Infamy, and told 

How nations fall and how grow great, — 

And waiting Senate listening heard. 
The Nation heard; and heard the foul 
And sodden ScMitli, who then with scowl 
Of visage dire sent forth a howl. 

In answer to the heavenly word. 

Kansas his theme, — of crime to tell. 
Which he flung down at Slavery's door. 
Then Slavery struck, — 'tis writ in lore 
Of hell, — and down on Senate floor, 

Beneath the blow, great Sumner fell. ^ ' 

LIBERTY AND JOHN liROWN. 

Then Liberty, who long had wept 
O'er crimes committed in her name. 
Took her sad flight from halls where Fame 
Had blazoned forth her deeds, and came 

Ou sable wing of Night, where kept 



The Song of Kansas. 

Iler sacred watch-fire burning bright 
On Kansas soil, the great John Brown. 
Him she found; — not in busy town, 
Or soft on easy couch hiin down; 

But on the grassy plain, where Kigiit 

With scent of flower and gentle dew 
Refreshed, — him sad and lowly bent 
In fervent prayer, and turbulent 
Unrest she found; — then flashing sent 

O'er him her radiant light, and threw 

Iler armor down, and thus began: 
"Great friend of man and liberty. 
My name and cause shall honored be 
In this broad land from sea to sea; 
Soon shall Slavery's course be run. 

"But ere that time, a mighty hand, 
Well worthy of the Titan race, 
Must here be raised, and in the face 
Of Treason break the lance, and chase 
Its furies howling from the land. 

"Here in the shade of sacred Night, 
With all her stars and heavenly train 
Of worshipers who brightly reign 
On high to note, thy soul I chain 
To my great cause, and give thee sight 



■^ 



34 The Song of Kansas. 

"And holy light to see divine. 

On thee now falls the blessed raj 
Which gilds mv shield, and naught shall stay 
My onward march, until the day 
I love shall here in glory shine. 

"Thee have I called, like John of old, 

Wlio the dear Savior's course forerun. — 
And thee baptize my holy son, 
AVith lire, in name of Holy One. 
Now here within my hand I hold 

"What the great John of Patmos said 

Should be in time outpoured on earth, — 
Yials of wrath; — their deadly worth 
Is needed now, — for fierce from birth 
The serpent old holds high his head. 

"Into this vial now I put the tears. 

Which loving wives and children shed 
In Kansas, o'er their murdered dead. 
Here is a lock of hair from head 
Of Sumner, with fresh blood it bears;— 

"Here is the blood of murdered Dow, 

Barber, Brown, ^ ^ Jones, ^ ^ and Stewart 

brave; 
Five sons of mine now in their grave, — 
This pang their passing spirits gave 
And cried in woe: 'Make Treason bow ! ' 



The Song of Kansas. 35 

"Here is the anguish of their hearts 

Which through my drooping spirit runs; — 
Here are the groans these dying sons 
Have left, and prayers for darling ones, 
And kiss while ebbing life departs; — 

"Here the torn flesh and bloody scars, 
And damning insult Phillips stood; — 
From Butler's craft a piece of wood; — 
Here is a drop of virgin blood 
Kavished by fiends beneath my stars; — 

"The ashes here of Lawrence, — there 

The type of press, the drunken glee, — 
The dust from trail of Treason see; — 
Here is the bullet shot at me, 
And here the slimy serpent's glare. 

"These 'Bogus' votes you see were cast 

By ruftian hordes, and these their rags; — ■ 
Here the ruffian words on flags; — 
Here the hoarse laugh while Justice lags. 
And here the 'Bogus Laws' at last. 

"All these into this vial go ! 

Now soak, and shake, and let distill. 
Behold another one I fill ! 
Here from the sword of Bunker Hill 
Drops the base blood of foreign foe; — 



36 The Song of Kansas. 

"Here is the sigh which Warren gave, 
As his sweet spirit passed on high; — 
Here the keen ghmce of Putnanrs eye; — 
Here Franklin's thought; and here the cry 
Of Henry: 'Freedom or the grave ! ' 

*'Here the patriot pen of Paine, 

And here the deeds of Wasliington; — 
Here are liis battles lost and won; 
And here the dust of every son 
Of mine who in that cause was slain; — 

*'Here the swift shaft which Jackson sent 
Full at the front of Treason; — here 
The hot words which Talhnadge, dear 
And grand to every freenum's ear, 
Hurled back at Cobb, and fatal went. * ° 

"This is enough. This vial keep; 
For you will need the lighter drink 
When Death shall take you home; nor sink 
Beneath the awful thought; nor think 
The draught not good; for your last sleep 

"Shall come and pass in awful form; 

And you shall heave the broken sigh, 
And grandly on the scaffold die, — 
Then with the patriots you shall lie, 
Unmindful of the passing storm. 



Tlie Song of Kansas. 37 

"But here, this darker drink now quaff! " 
This then she handed him, and Brown 
Arose and said : "The thorny crown 
I wear, nor do I seek renown, — 
The stormy path I tread, thy staff 

"Supports me now;" — and then he drank. 
This now infused all fear forsook, 
And all his vital spirits shook. 
Then opened he the Holy Book, 
And said: "Great Author, Thee I thank 

"For counsels in my hour of need: 

'An eye for eye, and tooth for tooth,' 
This is no fond, no gentle ruth. 
No smooth, gilt-edged or varnished truth — 
Within this book I find my creed; ^^ 

"Its counsels wise shall guide my feet. 
'Tis written here in holy word: 
'Christ came not peace to bring, but sword, — 
To Him I bow, as my great Lord. 
His truth is ample and complete." 

This said, the goddess took her flight. 
And back on sable wing she sped. 
With flashing halo round her head, — 
By fair Columbia's hand was led 

Through all the glittering train of Night. 



38 The Song of Kansas. 

Great soul inspired! whet now thy sword, — 
Not in revenge, but to protect 
The land, where Freedom may erect 
Her home; where safely her elect 

May come and live in sweet accord. 

This is the land where first began 
The holy work in Virtue's cause, — 
Where men demanded righteous laws 
And justice unto all, — here was 

The sword once more unsheathed for man. 

Not like the sword of cherubim, 
Who stood of old at Eden's gate. 
To guard the path against those great 
First trespassers on God's estate 

In earth, as sung in holy hymn; — 

That was a flaming sword of fire. 
Drawn by ghostly hand, and could 
Not stand the test of steel, nor should 
We deem it more than that which would 

In rain or weeping dew expire; — 

But here on holy Kansas soil. 

Stout hearts, and kind and true, were made 
To seek the virtue of a blade. 
Keen as old Damascus, which stayed 

The march of ravenous fiends of spoil. 



The Song of Kamas. 39 

It was a blade two-edged and strong, 
And sharp and true, as that which rung 
In Gideon's hand, by poet sung,^- 
It was the blade which Justice hung 

O'er sinful heads, and deeds of wrong. " ^ 

A blow in retribution struck 

Now falls: — for those five sons who died 
In Freedom' s cause, five from the side 
Of Slavery now shall pass the tide: — 

No hand of Pity tries to pluck 

Them from his grasp, — no kindly call 
Of Mercy can his blade elude, — 
Savage it fell, and sharp and rude, 
As Samuel into pieces hewed 

Kin*'- Agag, with the sword of Saul. 

Sweet month of May ! thy tender hand 
Now spreads the verdure of the year, — 
The rose and vine twine am' rous near 
The door; the song of bird we hear. 

And midst thy blissful beauties stand. 

At such a time, in sylvan shade, 

The sword of Justice fell. The stroke 
Crashed through the serpent's scales, --il 

broke 
Tiie deadly coil, and curling smoke 

And fiaming fire bespoke the blade. 



r^ 



40 The Song of Kansas. 

I^ow Freedom's sons stand forth once more, 
Encouraged to protect their homes, — 
And in her weeds the widow comes 
To urge, and tears of little ones 

Brave fathers kiss awav, implore. 

For sturdy hand and manly heart, 
To wage the battle of the Xorth, — 
And it was done. And then came forth 
The power for deeds of solid worth. 

Which forced the monster to depart. 

In writhing agony he went, ^ ^ 

With brutal Murder in his path, — 
Is o mercy now, no pity hath I 
And coiling fierce in fire and wrath. 

Seems Hell on dire destruction bent. 

Aloft the bloody scalp he waves, "* * 

The dripping blood rests on his brow, — 
Kills the poor cripple at his plow, * ^ 
And swears to make all freemen bow, 

Or send them bleeding to their graves. 

But hark! It is brave Walker's voice 
As he commands, and stern report 
Of Freedom's guns as they on fort 
Of Titus belch their fiery sport. 

A shout: 'tis "Freemen, now rejoice!" 



The Song of Kansas. 41 

The type from Freedom's press are east 
For Freedom's guns, and back they fling 
The leaden speech on fiery wing. 
Lecompton fell ! No one may sing 

Her praise, — damned by a name at hist. ''^ 

COL. JOHN W. GEARY. 

When manly Geary said: "I know 

No North, no South, no East, no West, 
Nor aught but that which seryeth best 
For Kansas; tliis is my behest, 

That right and gentle peace may grow; 

"That war may stop, blood cease to flow; 
That we as men must stand or fall 
Beneath one flag which waves for all: — 
Nor ask of me that I recall 
The fierce, foul haryester of woe." 

Scarce did he dream that the foul blow 
Of deadly knife for him should wait, — 
That the red hand and direful hate 
Of Slavery would carve out his fate, 

And scourge and fill his life with woe. * '' 

And why? No flag does Slavery know. 
But that which waves for Southern cause. 
The starry flag rebukes her laws ! 
Nor any land wins her applause. 

Where seeds of Treason will not grow. 



42 The Song of Kansas. 

Teach Dis to smile I Foul Treason wed 
To Justice I Paint beauty for the blind I 
Give demons heavenly words and kind I 
The hundred-headed Hydra bind I 

This is what Geary tried, and lied. 

LDfS. 

And now we see the bloody hand 

And torch pass over beauteous Linn. — * - 
For there had come to dwell within 
This garden spot brave men. whose sin 

It only was to bravely stand 

By Freedom's cause. With fond intent 
To build their homes, here by the side 
Of peaceful stream, or prairie wide. 
Or where the oak in forest pride 

Outstretched his arms, they pitched their tent. 

And here where Little Sugar winds. 
And gently flows in graceful sweep, 
'Xeath rugged hills that, high and steep. 
In sylvan shade and grandeur sleep. 
His sacred home the patriot finds. 

Xestled beneath these ancient hills, 

Whose beauties challenge foreign lands. 
In landscape made by heavenly hands. 
The friend of man, Mor>'D City stands, — 

Her history with rapture thrills. 




< 

Q 

< 

< 

en 

o 



r^ 



The Song of Kaiisas. 43 

Home of Montgomery ! who here 

The battles of fair Freedom fought, — 

Sacred the soil, and dearly bought 

By blood of her brave men, who thought 

Their liberty as life is dear. 

OSAWANDA. 

'Twas on the Little Osage, just below 

The point at which the river, winding slow. 

Touches the belt of rocky timber hills 

Which stretching far away to westward fills 

Out the landscape of prairie grove and glade. 

This touched with morning light and passing shade 

Made pictures fairer than a painter's dream. 

Through which the ready rays of Nature gleam. 

Here happy June with sweetly-scented breeze 

Had decked the earth in green, and blooming trees 

Lit up the scene, and set with vernal flame 

The flow' ry picture in a leafy frame. 

Here Genius bold, aspiring to be great. 

Drops the tired brush, and Nature strikes in hate 

The hand of him who tries to imitate. 

To such a spot as this in Kansas came 

Young Rubin: Northern blood, and sturdy frame 

Inured to toil, a will for any fate. 

Thus stood a living factor of a State 

To be, — which prophesied by such as him 

Should come, — not in the ages dim, 



44 TTie Song of Kansas. 

But soon. — and panoplied in Freedom's dower 
Of righteousness, and girt about with power. 
First, here into this valley fair he came, — 
The first to mark the bound* ries of his claim, — 
First to select the spot and cabin build. 
With soul elate, of fairj fancies filled. 
Then in his many wakeful dreams br day. 
Which ran like some unpastured colt at plav. 
While to his axe the nodding trees would bow, 
Or while a-field and plodding at the plow, 
He caught the vision of a blissful home.- 
A home where young and happy wife should 

come. — 
Where barns were full and plenty cheered the board 
And where his title deed should own him lord. 
'Twas thus he mused and thus he pictured all. 
And hung the picture on his cabin wall. 
Such men are in demand and win their wav 
To wealth and power, to love and song, and plav 
With Fate as reckless as a truant boy 
O'erleaps the rules of school, or laughs for joy. 
Nur are they sought in vain. The neighbor goes 
To such in faith, and breathes his painful woes 
Or pleasures soft into the willing ear. 
And finds a friend who ne'er disdains to hear. 
There the glad soul may list to pleasure's lay 
And joyous wile the happy hours awav: — 
Or aching heart may plaint its doleful psalm 



The Song of Kansas. 45 

Of life, and find the ready unctuous balm 
Unstinted poured on wounds by one who shares 
His weary ways, and mournful, cumbrous cares: — 
Or here, when hearts awake the conscious flame 
Of mated love, responsive to the heavenly name. 
May feel the fervor and the power divine 
Of Home, where all the cares and bliss of life com- 
bine. 



'Twas June, as I have said before, 

And somehow Kubin's thoughts would turn 
To love, — the thought would Kubin spurn. 
Untaught of Love, how could he learn 

Without some angel at his door 

To light this candle of the soul? 

But there would come to him, untaught, 
The vision of some hallow' d thought; 
Some fairy form by fancy caught. 

Which stayed beyond the will's control. 

Then would he heave the heavy sigh, 
As in that vision he could trace 
The rounded form, the living grace, 
The luster of a shining face. 

The flowing hair and flashing eye. 



46 T^ Song of Kanj^s. 

Thus with some book of modem lore. 
He mnsing sat, beneath a high 
Old oak, whose shadow, creeping bv. 
Seemed to the stranger drawing nigh 

To point a welcome to his door. 

The stnpid leaves he fumbled o"er. 

But dallied with Love's dream of old, — 
His mind the pages could not hold; 
And when he raised his eves, behold I 

She stood before his cabin door. 

Dumb and transfixed he sat, while he 
Beheld his fmrest thought fulfilled. 
Oh I for the ready brush of skilled 
Hogarth, to catch the scene that thrilled 

His trembling spirit's phantasy. 

Glossy and black as raven's wing, 
Was her bounteous flowing hair. 
Down o'er her neck and shoulders fair, 
It softly fell, that these might share 

The woman's wealth the Graces bring. 

Here fell on his enraptured sight 
The full-orbed glory of her eyes; 
Whose modest lids in soft surprise 
Half hid the blue which mocked the skie: 

Her clustering teeth, faultless and white. 



The Song of Kansas. 47 

And half-confined by ruby lips, 

Laughed within their pearly bed. 

Beauty flies round the radiant head, 

And, like the bee by passion led, 
Dies in the nectar that she sips. 

Her hand was small, her waist was trim. 
The hat was jaunty; and bestud 
With leaves and grasses of the wood; — 
And a wild flower with opening bud 

Was lurking just beneath the rim. 

Gracefully from her dapple gray. 

Which saddleless she rode, she dropped 
Upon her slippered feet, and stopped 
Before the door half-open propped. 

To greet the owner with "Good day." 

But ere she had espied him, he 
Came up; and in a bashful way 
Thus said: "How do you do to-day? 
A little dandy dapple gray 

Tou ride ! What can your errand be? " 

Startled, and coyly, she replied: 
"My father sent me here to know. 

If you would come to-day, and go 

With him, to warn a family or so 
To leave the creek, — they are deep-dyed 



48 The Song of Kansas. 

"Abolitionists, so 'tis said; — 
And at a meeting held to-day, 
It was ruled that they cannot stay, — ■ 
But before /would go away, 
If them, I would fight till I was dead." 

"What is your name, if I may ask," 
Said Rubin with a twinkle in 
His eye, — "Come here and sit within 
This shade, and tell me what the sin 
So great, that I must do this task?" 

So saying, he took the bridle rein 
Of Gray, and led the blushing maid 
To a rustic seat, within the shade 
Of that old oak, which he had made 

The campus of his new domain. 

She bashful said: "My name is Ruth, — 
But still I have another name. 
To which I answer just the same; 
And I like it better, — for it came, 

If the Osages tell the truth, 

"Just like a snowflake from the sky. 
Now pardon, how it is so dear 
To me: My father came out here 
Some years ago to hunt the deer. 
When only ten years old was I, 



The Song of Kansas. 49 

"Mother and babies too, all went 

With hunters then, — father was out,— 
I left alone to run about 
The camp, when came an Indian scout, 
And stole me from my father's tent. 

"Soon was I tied upon a horse, — 

Terrible and tiresome was the ride, — 
Well I recall the prayers denied; 
And how I plead, and moaned and cried, 
To waken pity or remorse. 

"But all in vain. Would Heaven forsake? 
No. Sleep to me her blessing; gave, 
And in the morning a young brave. 
Kneeling o'er me, said: 'Now I save 
OsAWANDA, — pretty snowflake.' 

"How he saved his little Snowflake, 
Need not here be told, — he became 
My guardian friend; — no other fame 
He sought, — and I love the name 
Of Osawanda for his sake. 

"Five years o'er sandy plains to roam. 
We swept the deaert side by side, — 
This was his choicest steed, his pride, — 
This gave to me, — this did I ride 
In his long search to bring me home." 



50 The Song of Kansas. 

Transfixed, intent to hear, and charmed, 

Was Rubin in his rustic seat; 

"While Osawanda, bright and sweet. 

As a May morn, told in a neat 
And airy way how she, unharmed, 

Was brcmght home to her father's door. 
While she thus poured into his ear 
Her lay, a mocking-bird, with clear 
Unbroken notes, whose mate was near, 

Poured forth, as upward he did soar 

From the topmost branch of that tall 
Oak, his heavenly, amorous song: — 
Then in mid air — as if his long 
Drawn strain had storm' d his passion strong. 

And thrilled by his own notes, in all 

Their flood of melody — would fall 
From air to tree, and falling die 
Of his own song in ecstasy; — 
But they were deaf to the wild cry 

Of bird, and his melodious call. 

That mighty tyrant of the heart, 

Eros, had come. The captive chains 
Are there, with all their ruby stains; 
And all the arms of him who reigns 

By the tragic splendors of his dart. 



The Song of Kansas. 51 

Now, through his spirit wildly roll, 
In fierce delight, the forces that 
Are felt in love and war; which at 
Her touch he felt, as there he sat. 

In the focus of her burning soul. 

Then Rubin quickly to reply. 

Patting the face of Dapple Gray 

To him softly said: "And I must say 

I love you, for your rider gay 

Hath charmed me with her dark blue eye." 

Then he to Osawanda said: 
"Fair one, should I join in this raid 
Against the homesteads which are made 
By other honest men ? This shade 
Is not more dear to my poor head 

"Than theirs to them. No. I will not ! 
Tell your father that in this world 
There ' s room, — that vengeance shall be hurled 
On him, when o'er his head is furled 
The flag of freedom, — and a blot 

"Shall stain the coward soul of him 

AVho will not stand by human rights; — 
That honor crowns his life who fights 
For that in which Fair Play delights, 
And all the world his praises sing. 



62 The Song of Kansas. 

"Sweet Snowilake! let your mission be, 
Like thy pure name in mercy given, 
A white-winged messenger from heaven, — 
Let not homes from them be riven 
Whose hearts now beat for Liberty. 

"Let your mission be peace, not strife. 
To this just end be quick to dare; 
And to protect this SnowflaJ^e fair. 
With all that in me lies, I swear 
By the charmed story of your life." 

While thus he spoke, he gently took 
Unconsciously her hand, — the fair 
One conscious, and his zeal to share 
Thought him most grand, and charmed liira 
there 

By the mute eloquence of her look. 

But now the lengthened shadows came 

Which told that Nature's day was done, — 
And as the summer hours are run. 
And harvests ripen in the sun. 

So in the rays of Love's full flame, 

In those eventful summer hours. 
Which softly ran unconscious by, 
Hath ripened into ecstasy 
Two hearts, which now shall pant and sigh 

For stolen interviews, and shady bowers. 



Tlie Song of Kansas. 53 

She took the reins: "Down ! Kansas, down ! " 
She said, and Dapple, bending h)w, 
Received her with a graceful bow. 
Away she swept, but on her brow 

There sat the shadow of a frown. 

"A new world!" Rubin cried aloud, 
As on she sped among the trees; — 
"A world which one not only sees, 
But seeing loves, like the soft breeze 
In balmy June, with floating cloud." 

Osawanda was called plain Ruth 
At home, for there no other name 
Would answer, even though it came 
Full of old romance, or in flame 

Of love, or deeds of tender sooth. 

And then the ready way wherein 
Young Rubin always called her by 
Her Indian name, seemed now to lie 
Close to her heart, — and her blue eye 

Sparkled as she thought of him. 

At home, she met the cold and stern 
Rebuff, — that roughness which denies 
The tender, soft amenities, 
Which speak in smiles, and laughing eyes, 

And tones which loving hearts discern. 



64 The Song of Kansas. 

And then she mused while going home. 
How Rubin said that she was fair, — 
And how he praised her flowing hair. 
Oh ! what a change to mortal pair, 

In one sweet hour of love will come ! 

But now, the Fates flj round the hour ! 
'Twas late when she arriv^ed at home, — 
Long had they looked for her to come; 
And in their weary waiting, some- 
How overlooked the latent power, 

Which lay within the melting heart 

Of this young girl's fresh womanhood; 
Which, when evoked, is not withstood, 
When she is in the tender mood. 

By all the outward forms of art; — 

And they dreamed not that Love, with his 
Seductive arts, might counterfoil 
Their schemes, by digging in sweet toil. 
Within that garden, whose virgin soil 

Productive is of mysteries. 

The father sternly thus began 
"Ruth, you 're late ! Did you notify 
That scamp about what's in our eye? 
These fellows must all leave or die." 
"Yes," said Ruth, and away she ran, 



The Song of Kansas. 55 

With Dapple to the shed; for she 
Was then unable to control 
The bursting tumults of her soul. 
O Time! — give time! and back will roll 

The dashing waves of this high sea. 

Alone with Dapple, she began 

To try her voice, — pet names by rote 
Would call, and stroked his glossy coat. 
But found her heart still in her throat. 

Heart of stone in breast of Indian, 

Struck by the anguish that she felt, 

Would then have broken by the stroke. 
But Dapple fed, — her fresh song broke 
Forth upon the air, and awoke 

The hills, whose liquid strains would melt 

In soft, returning notes, and fall 
An echoing cadence from afar 
On the charmed ear. Never at war 
Was heart so sad; never did mar 

With song so sad, the soul's sweet call. 

Clear did the woodland echoes bring 
The charming sound of song she sung, 
In sonnant, soft Cigiha tongue, — 
And loud the melting words were rung, 

Unknown by all who heard her sing. 



56 The Song of Kansas. 



Wananda the great gave me a bird, — 
A bird from the forest at even, — 

Sweeth' he slept mj bosom adorning. 
And awoke with a song in the morning. 
Two years did I keep him, but the third, 
He flew to Wananda, the keeper of heaven. 

And I praj to Wananda the great. 
To send back the bird that was given. 
For now sad in mj soul there is ringing. 
The sweet broken song that he was singing; 
Ere he flew far away to the gate. 

That opes to Wananda, the keeper of lieaven. 

Now Life's Great Trail I follow all day; 
And sadly I slumber at even; 
For I lie all alone and forsaken, 
Since mv bird from my bosom was taken; 
Sadly I sing and fervently pray. 

Return him, Wananda, the keeper of heaven. 



A meeting there that night was held, 
And called for purposes of state, — - 
And to consider crimes of late, — 
And settle and decide the fate 

Of sundry new settlers, and weld 



J 



The Song of Ivnisas. 57 

The tics of a confederate 

Brotlierliood; defensive in form 
Of word and call; but in the storm 
Of backwoods eloquence, and warm 

Declaim, it took the form of hate, 

Toward every person, high or low. 
Who was allied to Freedom's cause. 
Then one began: "Who burnt our laws? "'*'•* 
And while thej listened at the pause. 

An ancient owl cried: "Who! who! h — oo ! " 

This was enough: — for there outside 
As sure as ears can hear, and tongue 
Can mock, must be the foe. Then young 
And old, for valor yet unsung. 

Rushed out to hunt him far and wide. 

No enemy they found, for he 

Had tiown; but there in spectral white 

Stood Osawanda, in the light 

Of moon full orbed, — a fairy sprite, 

Listening for fate in secrecy. 

Then to the council she was led, 

A willing witness to the truth, 
"Come," said one, "tell the meeting, Ruth, 

About this Rubin; is the youth 
Sound on the goose ? Is he corn fed ? " ^ " 



68 Ttie Song of Kansaa. 

The tumults of her soul had passed, — 
The fears of an impending fate, 
Which brooded in her soul of late, 
Gave way to full-fledged scorn and hate, — 

Then came the thunderbolt at last. 

An old toad-haunted cabin was 

The place in which the council met; — 
And there with flickering rajs beset, 
A fancy work of art, did fret 

Its rustic walls — The Hogus Lmos^ 

Whereon a tallow dip did stand 

On end, there struggling to enlighten 
This pit of darkness, and to brighten 
This book, which long had stood to frighten, 

Until its conflagration grand. 

And this lone candle burning dim 

Scarce threw a shadow on the floor, — 
But came the Moon with beam she bore, 
As if this darkness to explore. 

Was prompted by some heavenly whim. 

The latch string to the clapboard door 
Was pulled inside. On blocks of wood 
Sedately sat the court; — their good 
Old coon-skin caps, but tailless, stood 

Beside them on the puncheon floor. 



r 



The Song of Kansas. 59 

And in the corner, pale as ghost, 
Sucli as our aged grandams might 
Have seen against the rayless night, 
Stood our Snoivjlah% with eyes so briglit. 

The moonbeam in their light was lost: — 



Who thus began: "On errand sent, 
With questions heavy, and of great 
Pith to this young and coming State, 
And such that I could scarce relate, 

To find young Rubin forth I went. 

•'This very day I met him, and 

The message gave, — with courtesy 
Ileceived, I thought I could descry 
A trembling twinkle in his ej'e, 
As there my soul he did command. 

"We then discoursed of naught which this 
League cares to know: — enough to say. 
It was of birds and garlands gay, 
Until the shadows of the day 
Slow-lengthening vanished with my bliss. 

"But this I caught and will relate, — 
Proudly erect he stood and tall, 
And said: 'I build a home though small. 
For wife to find, — nor ill befall 
My love, nor freedom of the State.' " 



60 The Smig of Kansas. 

Then a hoarse murmur of dissent, — 
A growl, as of some wild despair. 
Like a chafed tiger in his lair, 
Came forth upon the silent air, 

From men upon destruction bent. 

"Ho! this young rascal, now," said one, 
"Will set at naught our government! 
For what business be we here sent? 
We will take care of this j'oung gent ! 
Come, boy ! hand up to me my gun ! ' ' 

Then she replied: "Questions of state 
Are not for me. Little I know 
Of book, or law, or league, and so 
I never give them thought; and slow 

I bring my mind to catch debate, — 

"But one thing above all I know, — 

That woman's work goes with her love, — 
And where her heart leads, like the dove 
From Noah's ark sent forth to prove 
The land, there her swift wing will go. 

"Guard your Kubins, and the houses that 
They build, where loves may safely nest; 
Then the young State will proudly rest 
Upon the Nation's love and breast. 
Like the famed ark on Ararat." 



The Song of Kansas. 61 

Quickly now was this night's work done 
In that debate, and with that sure, 
Savage purpose, which doth allure 
The mad mob, and a vote secure, 

As if it were the voice of one. 

The night was set, — the silent hour 

Was named for work, — naught should conflict, 
Save now some heavenly interdict, 
As sure as should that hour be ticked, 

Upon the clock of Time's great tower. 

They all retire, and Ruth withdrew 
Unto her sad and restless bed, — 
And there she mused, spinning her thread 
Of fancies one by one, till dead 

Rubin's face broke the thread in two; 

Then dropped her hand upon the head 
Of her huge hound, which long had been 
Her friend; going and coming in 
Captive life, like some faithful kin, 

And always slept beside her bed. 

He, conscious of some trouble there, 

Witliin his young queen's throbbing breast, 
Moaning, licked her hand, and in quest 
Of truth arose, disturbed of rest. 

And put his paw upon her hair. 



62 The Song of Kansas. 

She kissed his hand, and then arose, 
And looked upon tlie Hioon-lit world 
Without. Silent as the infurled 
Whisper of a secret wisli curled 

Close to her lieart, she reached her clothes. 

In that soft, still hour of midnight, 
Silent she dressed; and with such fear 
Of bold intent, and to her heart so near, 
She dared not let the angels hear 

Her thought, lest them it might affright. 

Now past the open door, — no thought 
Or look behind, but soft she sped, 
With footfalls of a fairy's tread, 
For Dapple to the open shed, — 

Dapple who knew her will untaught. 

Easy and slow, and sure she rode. 
Till past the house and hovel by 
The brook, then loosed the rein, — a sigh 
Of wished relief, — a half-pent cry, 

Which until now had been a load 

Upon her heart, she uttered low. 
And now she Hies, a passing sprite. 
Like some weird wonder of the night. 
Along the plain, in the pale light 

Of the mellow moonbeam's glow. 



The Song of Kansas. 63 

Halting a little at the ford, 

To let her '■'■ Kansas^ ^ feel liis way; 
The rippling waters seemed to say: 
"Good girl! good girl!" in gurgling play, 
"Go on ! go on ! you serve the Lord." 

The cabin reached; she knocked, and spoke 

In softest tone: "Is Rubin here?" 
"Yes," he replied; "who do I hear?" 
And then awoke; but it was clear 

To him a dream his slumbers broke. 

A moment's hush, — she then replied: 
"Dress ! be quick ! and beneath the oak 
We'll briefly talk." The spell was broke. 
As there with trembling voice she spoke, — 

And Terror saw the dream denied. 

' T was but a moment ere the tree 

He reached, and she at once began: 
"Your life is sought, and so I ran 

To tell and aid you all I can. 
Death can't outrun my love for thee." 

He seized her hand, — spell-bound and dumb 
He stood, — and as he looked to eyes 
That shone like moving orbs, which rise 
And set at sea, and whose light dies 

At morn, presaging day to come, 



64 The Song of Kansas. 

He could do nought but stand and look; 
And yet more firmlv, kindly press 
Her hand. At length, a lip caress 
Thereof was taken sans duress; 

Nor did she chide for what he took. 

This broke the spell, and then she told. 
At his request, at length and all 
Of that which at the council's call 
TTas done, or should or might befall. 

Then said: "This thought I uttered bold: 

" 'But one thing above all I know: 

That woman's work goes with her love. 
And where her heart leads, like the dovo 
From Noah's ark sent forth to prove 
The land, there her swift wing will go.' •* 

Then his pure passion broke control, — 
And thus in flood of " ecstasy. 
As there he saw within her eye 
And daring face his destiny. 

Poured forth the torrent of his soul: 

''Would that my heart were that loved land, 
And thou the dove in search of rest; 
Then would I be forever blest. 
When she should find it, there to nest, 
And share the bounties of my hand." 



The Song of Kansas. 65 

Then she replied: "But foes have said 
That you shall have no land to till; 
Nor nest for bird, nor barn to fill; 
Nor bounties to bestow at will, 

Though small, with which the bird is fed." 

Then he: "But foes may go and come; 

The brave alone Heaven's bounties share; 

The coward never won the fair; 

Sweethearts are won by do and dare^ 
With this my life, my love, my home, 

"Without courage, how would it be 
Here on thy sacred mission pure 
To save my life? Could you endure 
The savage cry of Slander, sure 
With pack to bay thy purity? 

"Courage is queenly grace to woman given, — 
The godlike flame in which all slander dies, — 
The path whose gentle slope leads up to heaven, — 
The gemmed Orient of her hopeful skies. 

"For neither will the world, nor her warm heart's 
Desire, trust to the fragile arm of Fear; — 
And as the hunted doe at bay now starts 
To find retreat, knowing that death is near, 

—5 



66 The Song of Kcmsas. 

"Will fall an easy prey to all the pack; 

So sure should Innocence, sweet as the flower 
Opening its soft petals to the sun, lack 

Strength, she'll fall by Slander's rude touch 
and power: 

*'But the stout heart, however frail the form 
Within whose white-robed vestal zone it be. 
Will, like Egypt's pyramids, outlast the storm, 
And save the sacred name of Purity." 

Then she: "Your soul is brave and free. 
I ' 11 be your bird, for you have caught 
Me on the wing; and you have taught 
Me love: — Now fight for life ! I ' ve bought 

Its fee, — then trust in Heaven and me. 

*' To-morrow night they come, — be on 
Your guard, — reason and overcome 
Their rage with fair persuasion; some 
Are taught by truth, while some are dumb. 
Sweetheart, good night." And she was gone. 

Thus, in the solemn stillness hushed 
By dreamy after-thought of Night, 
Two Kansan hearts, intent on right. 
Guided by Love's pure flame and light, 

Into each other's life have rushed. 



The Song of Kansas. 67 

The morrow dawned upon the mob. 
Little did Osawtinda dream 
That she could counterfoil their scheme, 
With aught that she might say or seem 

To them, — for hell was in the job. 

But every move she did discern; 

And every word and thought expressed, 
Slie noted; and her rage repressed; 
And betimes her huge hound caressed, 

And played a careless unconcern. 

But as the evening shades appeared. 
Four men, each a desperate fiend 
In human flesh, came up and leaned 
Upon the fence, and so demeaned 

Themselves, nor hell nor death they feared. 

Aloud they called for "Old Kaintuck;" — 
And now they drink, and yell, and stare 
And roar, and swear as devils swear; 
And call it pure and red and rare; 

And as they drink they say: "Here 's luck." 

Then boasted o'er that drunken bowl. 

That one "white-livered" Free-State man 
Should die that night; and then began 
To load their guns. Now guess, who can, 

The terror that convulsed a soul ! 



r 



68 The Song of Kansas. 

Bath qoicklv turned, and pat her hand 
Upon her heart; then fell beside 
Her faithful hound; and he espied 
Her dreadful agony, and tried 

To talk: bat she could understand. 

And fainted not, — but quickly as 

An inspiration frum above. 

Sent down bv some angelic love. 

She had resolved. Xo soft kid glove 
For pets: but lead the virtue has. 

Now for a ride to outrun Death. 

Wh«>se stealthy footsteps quickly fall 
Upon her ear. Hope, life, love, all 
May go; for nothing can recall 

His stroke, nor melt his frozen breath. 

Time! O for the full power to stop 

His clock, and cheat grim-visaged Fate, 
"VTho stands like chiseled law to wait. 
Cold, sullen and disconsolate. 
To keep the time, and slip the drop. 

Dapple she rides, whose mettle oft 
In other days and scenes was tried, — 
Joy of her heart, her pet. her pride, — 
On darkness gaze they far and wide. — 

The plain before, the stars aloft. 



V^ 



The Song of Kansas. G9 

One star she knows of all the host, 
Which has to millions been a star 
To guide to fame, to love and war, — 
That polar light which shines afar, 

To point the way, or find the lost. 

Out from the woods, and northward start, 
Like hunted deer, — and on they rush. 
Heedless of mound, or brake, or bush; 
For Dapple knows in whispering hush 

Her fears, and feels her throbbing heart. 

And as he glides she softly talks: — 
"Now gently, Dapple, — gently — slow — 
Not too fast at start — far to go. 
And fearful is the way,^ — you know 

We must not fail — fail! That word locks 

"My lips! To fail! O Heaven ! let not 
The faintest whisper of that word 
Among the starry host be heard ! 
But let my speed be like the bird. 
Whose flight fulfills her swiftest thought ! 

"Kansas, my pride! you never saw 

Me fail I and you shall have the rein. 
You saved me once upon the plain 
From wolves; and once from being slain 
By bison on the Ninnescah. 



70 The Song of Kansas. 

"But then my life is all there was 

At stake. Now my life rushes toward 
A life that resteth on the sword, — - 
The faithful servant of its lord; — 
Then take the rein, and speed his cause ! ' ' 

Far past the Elk, and to the brow 
Of Little Sugar's circling hills, 
Down whose rough sides dire Terror fills 
The passing soul, — yet dauntless wills, 

And on they plunge, till safely now 

Upon the bosom of the broad 

Yalley spread out in green below. 
Then to the northward on they go, 
Till Little Sugar, rippling slow, 

Arrests their speed. This crossed, unawed 

Into the forest, west by a single path 
They go, and eager winding, thread 
Their way, until their rapid tread 
Is heard by one whom ruffians dread, 

Afirainst the vengeance of his wrath. 



■■fe' 



'Tis Colonel James Montgomery's fort. 
' ' Halt ! who comes there ? " is uttered loud 
Within. "A friend," — responded proud 
Our Kuth, with ready wit endowed — 

' 'And I ' m in search of brave support. ' ' 



r 



The Song of Kmisas. 71 

"A brave support ! " then answered he; 
"I'll do my part if just the cause; 
But I obey no "Bogus" laws, — 
I have cast them into the jaws 
Of hell. What can your errand be?" 

"To quickly save a noble soul 

From the ruffian jaws of hell," 
Responded she, "But now, please tell 
How am I to know but some fell 
Plot of knave is laid to enroll 

"My name with the unnumbered dead, 

And you the sweet-faced angel fraud?" 
A moment dumb, then — "C> my GodP'' 
Broke from a heavenly soul outlawed 
Of earth, and heart subdued with dread. 

It was a wail of such wild woe, 

In plaint of doleful anguish caught, 
That the stern warrior doubted not 
That she was all she told and thought, 

And said: "-Ah, well! my maid, I go." 

But now she said: "Last fall I shot 
A buck with you on yonder hill; 
And in the trial of our skill 
With gun, both shot, but you did kill, 

And won the deer, but took him not." 



r 



72 The Song of Kansas. 

"You are the Osawauda, then; 

The fair, black-haired, and blue-eyed maid, — 
The captive child ! " the chieftain said. 
"I am,'' said Rnth, "You have my aid," 
Said he, "against a thousand men." 

Soon on their way were rushing fast, 
Down where the Little Sugar flows, 
With wild bird's song and scent of rose, — 
On through woods where the maple grows, — 

And on till frowning hill is past. 

There cheeked their speed for moment's breath. 
Then asked of Ruth: "What now to thee 
Is this young man? some kin to be 
Pei-haps." "Worlds! worlds!" said she, 
"to me, — 

And for his life I race with Death." 

Then she cried: "On ! my Kansas, on ! " 
Then he: ' ' And save I my Beecher, save ! " ^ ^ 
Who knows by what kind power the brave 
May live, or foul may find his grave? 

Both come to earth, and then are gone. 

Now we leave, dashing white with foam 
Their steeds, — and turn unto the four 
Fiends we left two hours before. 
These drunken, and athirst for gore, 

Have found their way to Rubin's home. 



The Song of Kanms. 73 

And in those two dread mortal hours, 
The insult and the pain he bore 
Within the threshold of his door 
Cannot be told. Why fate deplore? 

Or ask the why of hidden powers 'i 

Enough for mortal man to know: 

Him stripped and tied, his tlesh they gashed 
With knives and sharpened sticks; they lashed 
His back with whips; and swore and gnashed 

Their teeth, and mocked him in his woe. 

To the kind voice of Keason dumb, 
The prowling beast some mercy has; 
But to these fiends pale Pity was 
A painted plaything for a devil's jaws, — 

They drowned and drank it in their rum. 

But liubin said: "Give me a chance, — 
Four to one is not fair, when tied. 
Untie; I ask not aught beside." 
This was refused, and then they cried: 
"Come, boy ! give us a song and dance." 

Then at last one put his hard hand 

On Rubin's heart, and cried: "Gods, men, 
How it thumps against his ribs ! " Then 
He put his ear close, and again 

He cried: "Gush! gush! it lacks the sand." 



r^ 



74 The Song of Kmisas. 

And then he drew his knife and said: 
"Now, boys, this knife I whet to-day 

For blood. Its point is sharp to slay; 

It 's time for it to drink, — give way ! " 
And higli it gleamed above his head. 

But the base hand, qniv'ring on high. 
Staid, — and to the floor the knife's fall 
Went, harmless; for a navy ball 
Had pierced his heart. 'T was the close call, 

Unerring, of Montgomery. 

Tlien and there three ruffians died. 
The fourth was saved, but notice took 
Of what Montgomery said: "Now look. 
You fiend, and note it in your book: 

Henceforth, your horde must hunt and hide." 

These were Montgomery's terms, and long 
Tlie subtle foe obeyed. The maid, 
AVith Rubin saved, stood undismayed, 
Angelic in that midnight shade. 

And there entwined, with passion strong. 

Her hero in the arms of love. 

The claim they held, and long thereat 
They lived, and mighty men begat 
Who stand for blissful home; for that 

Holds Freedom's ark; and ark the dove. 



r 



The Song of Kansas. 75 

Montgomery, thy iiianl}'^ shade 

Now rests in peace. The sacred grove 
Now decorates thy grave in love; 
And weeping waters gurgling move 

Close to thy feet where thou art laid. 

Thy watchful eyQ and daring hand 
Guarded the way for Liberty, — 
Here at the gates of Linn we see 
Thy stalwart blade and standard high, 

As thou a sentinel didst stand ! 

Sweet be thy rest ! and while the years 
Roll round, thy name in memory green 
Shall live, and here each year be seen. 
Thy comrades come, and o'er thee lean. 

And drop the tribute of their tears. 

JOHN BROWN. 

Sad Linn ! Dark plots and direful things 
In secret hatched, and compacts made 
In the vile den or sickly shade. 
And writ with point of Slavery's blade, 

In bloody book which Treason brings. 

In this black book appears the name 

And sentence of each Freedom's son, — 
Boldly in blood the letters run, 

. In the fierce hand of Hamilton. 

Now stands to his infernal fame 



76 The Song of Kansas. 

The record of that bloody book: 

Eleven blasts from hell are blown, — 
Eleven teeth of dragon sown, — 
Eleven sons like grass cut down; 

And Hydra of his feast partook. 

Then came John Brown close on his path, 
And boldly passing to his den, 
Ilini struck an awful blow, and when 
The shackles broke and fell from men 

He writhed and roared in demon's wrath. 

Eleven slaves are now set free. — 

A kindly stroke for those who fell, — 
A just and righteous parallel, — ^^ 
Their freedom won, and strange to tell 

Kansas has gained her liberty. 

Not on far Afric's burning sand, 

When age on age has come and gone. 
And people searching in the throng 
Which passing centuries prolong. 

Ask for some hero proud and grand, 

The theme for master sculptor's hand. 
Whose ancient glory and renown 
The waiting nndtitude shall crown. 
Will there remote appear John Brown ;- 

But will be found in every land 



The Song of Kansas. 11 

His glory heralded by seers, — 
In marble cut; by poet sung; 
And his rude image shall be hung 
Round the charmed neck, and every tongue 

Shall praise him as the saint of years. 

And here, in Kansas, we shall raise 

The statue to undying fame. 

With sculptured art, we shall proclaim 

The fond memorial of his name, 
"Which thus shall stand and speak his praise. 

The man— the sword, — the Hydra slain, — 
The hand outstretched to greet 
The needy one, — the face replete 
With love, — and, underneath his feet, 

The broken links of Slavery's chain. 

Bright star of Kansas ! now thy place 
Is fixed: — a brilliant central gem, 
In Columbia's diadem; 
Which, like the star of Bethlehem, 

Points out a savior of the race. 

O Slavery! dire, enraged; — if you 

Are doomed, what serves to now rebel? 
What serves the powers that wait on hell? 
You sent the shaft when Sumpter fell. 

Which on recoil shall pierce you through. 



78 Tlte H<m<j of Kcmsaa. 

THE CIVIL WAU. 

Behold two little clouds which 'rose, 
And in the wky o'er Kansas stand; 
They seein no larger than the hand, 
But soon they grow, and o'er the land 

Spread out a shroud in dark repose. 

These clouds are fierce and filled with wrath, — 
One at the southward, clad in gray. 
Is shimmering in the lightning's play; 
And lowly muttering makes his way 

Northward, and coiling in his path: — 

The one at northward chul in blue, 

Like some dai'k monarch on his throne, 

And grumbling in his barito7ie. 

Through rifts of clouds which he has blown 

About his head, takes notice due. 

Now these huge monarchs of the air 
Approach, and rise in awful form; 
And as their fury seems to warm, 
They clutch, — then bursts the awful storm. 

Great giants from ethereal lair. 

In fierce embrace, now twist and coil 
In brawny arms which never tire: — 
Now crash tlie thunders in their ire, — 
They fiing their livid wrath in fire. 

And make the whirling cyclone boil. 



The Song of Kansas. 79 

Then blow their all-subduing breath 

To earth, and round and round they leap — 
And, eastward bound, black ruin heap 
On wild despair,- — ^and waltzing, sweep 

In weird and wicked dance of death. 

Thus say: The solid South conspired 
To rule the North. Sad was the day 
They clutched, — and wicked was the way 
To peace; but when it catne, the gray 

Had in the Northern grasp expired. 

And say: That Kansas, in the war 
To save Columbia's home, in time 
And men stands first, — *^ that she did climb 
Vast heights to fame, nor any crime 

Nor halt her battle-flag doth mar. 



80 TJie Song of Kansas. 

IV. 

KANSAS IN THE REIGN OF PEACE. 
PEACE. 

Our Iliad of woes is past. 

Ami gentle Peace, with healing wing, 
Now conies with all her arts to bring 
Kepose; and softer notes I sing, 

While Hope looks up from Ruin's blast. 

And from this wreck of civil strife 
And war, where Treason dying lies, 
Behold two nianlv forms arise ! 
No cold, disdainful look replies 

To that sad wail of human life; 

But with kind hand that stoops to save; 
And face lit with benignant smile, 
That doth grim-visaged \Yar beguile; 
The liag that Treason would defile, 

They spread o' er its eternal grave. 

With modest look and humble pride, 

Thus Grant and Lincohi stand; — and there 
Between, two other forms more fair: — 
Columbia with her liag in air; 

The private soldier close beside, 



The Song of Kansas. 81 

In ricli, immortal blue. At rest 

He half reclines, — and you can trace 
A sad smile lingering on liis face; 
While the fond goddess wreaths in grace 

Ilis head, there pillowed on her breast. 

THE STATE. 

Great kings may die and empires fall, — 
Races of men come on the stage, 
And pass away in sickly age, — 
Ancient and dim is History's page 

And hard to read; the print's too small; 

But what is great, and what endures, 

Is built by all. Those truths and deeds, 
Though small, collected like the seeds 
Of earth, and sav^ed for future needs, 

Are then not mine alone, nor yours. 

But do belong to all. The State 
On these is built in grandeur bold, 
And stands in time by cycles told, 
While workmen's names lie in the mold 

Of age forgot, or small or great: — 

As polyp rude, beneath the waves 
Builds her coral home, and lays 
The deep foundations where we raise 
The fabric of the State; the praise 

We cast upon forgotten graves. 

—6 



") 



82 Tlie Song of Kansas. 

Thus you will find where'er you roam 
Within some quiet spot select, 
The soldier's grave; nor name detect; 
No fame he sought, but to protect 

His flag, his country, and his home. 

The flag sustained and country blessed, 
Was greater than to reach a throne, — 
His life was but his country's own, — 
He sleeps upon her breast unknown, — 

In quiet glory let him rest ! 

THE HOME. 

No spot so dear on earth as home. 

We build the home; this builds the State. 
This loyal makes the Nation great, — 
And all from love. No hand of Fate 

Builds, or pulls down a nation' s dome. 

No happy footsteps from the homo 

E'er trod the path which Treason takes. 
No hand from happy fireside shakes 
The murderer's blade, nor it forsakes. 

To Ca3sar kill, or rule great Rome. 

Kansas, in this thy glories rise, — 

In this thy strength. Thy people here 
Their plain and humble structures rear, — 
They plow and plant at home, nor fear 

That there an execution lies. 



The Song of Kansas. 83 

What tliongh their earthly lot is hard ! 

What though their humble house be sod ! 

They bend no knee to tyrant's nod; 

There they may live and worship God, 
And love shall never be debarred. 

Husbands and wives, and little ones, 

Are kings and queens on Kansas soil, — 
Their empire rests secure from broil, — 
And here in peaceful life they toil, 

And raise for Liberty her sons. 

'Tis here that lisping children come, 
Now sad to tell some little care; 
Or pleased the parent' s kiss to share. 
With little hands and flowing hair, 

Braid links of love around the home. 

'Tis sweet to know that here the State 
Protects the home, — that she has thrown 
Around the hearth and wife her own 
Strong arm, — that this no kingly crown 

Could do, no more on grandeur wait. 

And when the fee vests in the wife, 
It is a badge of love, not fraud; — 
And when for home, let courts applaud ! 
'Tis hers, where every household god 

May rest secure, and bless her life. 



^ 



S4: The Song of Kansas. 

As well destroy the tree which shades 
Her door; the nest of bird whose song 
Enchants the grove; as thei-e to wrong 
Her love, and all her griefs prolong, 

"Which once was done by legal raids. 

Take not her household gods away I 
Her lot is haiii enough at best; 
At home, let each fond object rest 
Beneath its wing I Here is the nest 

Of love I For this we tight and pray. 

Nor shall the curse of drink, strong drink. 
Whose pain is as the adder's sting. 
Sure, quick and deadly, ever bring 
To Kansas home its guilt, tmd fling 

The household gods on ruin's brink. 

This has made Kansas great, — to this 

She owes her growth, her jK^wer and wealtli; 
Her brawny arm and sturdy health; 
She g;uns by pn>wess, not by stealth. 

And home brings all her victories. 

In legislative halls by hand 

Of artist touched, where fretted dome 
And classic pillars charm, do ci^me 
The great defenders of the home. 

And round its tires a bulwark stand. 



The S(mg of Kansas. 85 

No wonder told in fiiirj tale, 

In web and woof of fancy wrought, 
Can equal this, — no vision cauglit 
From fairy-land enchants the thought 

Like this, in which our souls regale ! 

THE EAKLY PIONKER. 

Brave men here came to stand or fall 
For Liberty. The silver ray 
Of Hope shone bright upon their way, — 
With faith unshaken, here to stay, 

No flesh pots could their steps recall. 

Heroes they came ! to combat here 
The fates and furies of vast Hell. 
Unto a desert land to dwell 
They came; nor drouth, nor flood, could quell 

Their earnest rage for Freedom dear. 

False signs to scare did fill the breeze — ■ 
At crossings of old Indian trails, 
The traveler reads: "Every crop fails;" — 
"It never rains;" — "Sometimes it hails;" — 
"Timothy won't grow, nor trees." 

At these the sturdy pioneer 

Leveled his axe; and with a stroke 
Cut down tlie lies; and then he broke 
The sod with plow and steers, and woke 

The earth to grow his harvests here. 



86 The Sang of Amisas. 

But ere the harvest came, what toil 
Here taxed his early hours and late I 
What cares and fears on him did wait ! 
Ere he tlie fickle hand of Fate 

Could guide, and fix it in the soil. 

THE PKAIKIE FIRE. 

'Tis said Prometheus filched the fire 
From heaven to minister unto man; 
But in its use the godly plan 
Became a scourge, and fire outran 

The fierce revenge of heavenly ire. 

Thus, when the white autumnal frost 

Had touched the world to tints of brown; 
And blue-joint grass, in tasseled down, 
Waved its long plumes; and for a crown 

The Year, these silken tresses tossed, 

I ' ve seen upon the Kansas plain 
In early years the fiends of fire 
Let loose, — who in their hot desire 
To curse the world did melt in ire, 

And break the elemental chain. 

Out from the portals of the south 

They came. No blast from Borean caves, 
Beneath the cool, refreshing waves 
Of northern sea, — but fiercely raves 

The dread South W/juI, with whom goes Drouth. 



The Song of Kansas. 87 

Weird sisters of the sandy plain, 

Who scourge the hind with fiery thong, 
And, moaning as they pass along, 
They chant their sad sirocco song, 

And chase away the gentle rain. 

The blue October haze that slept 
Upon the grassy fields had passed 
Away, — and then a somber cast 
Came on, with swift-winged storm, and fast 

These frowning furies onward swept. 

Then on the land they blew their breath. 
And fanned it with their fiery wings; — ■ 
No weeping rain, no siren sings. 
But from the surging flame there springs 

The black and horrid form of Death. 

Far as the eye can reach the world 
Ablaze, — a vast and billowy sea 
Of fire, — and there aloft in glee 
These furies danced in revelry, — 

Their heads in fiery tresses curled — 

And smoke black as the Stygean blast. 
And tongues of fire shot forth, and bore 
Aloft the food of flame it tore 
From earth, — and on with thundering roar 

And hiss and crackling noise they passed, — 



88 The Song of Kansas. 

Their waj black as the path of hell. 
The wolf sought refuge in his den, 
And safe the wing of prairie-hen; 
But the poor deer to reach the fen, 

With fleetest footsteps, fainting fell. 

Thus was the land left black and drear, — 
Thus was the food cut off from herd, — 
And home burnt up of man and bird, — 
And husky voice of dearth was heard, 

For fire had harvested the year. 

The faint-heart croaked: a thought did swerve: 
His wife had people in the East, — 
Egypt had flesh pots for a feast, — 
He went. Thus was the land released 

Of him, and saved by men of nerve. 

THE HEROES. 

Of heroes Kansas is the child ! 

When Freedom's banner was unfurl' d. 
Then on her doubtful soil were hurPd 
Gods of the intellectual world. 

Who stood by her till Fortune smiled. 

Brim full of health, to hardy fare 
Inured, with purpose pure and high, 
They did their work without a sigh. 
As if made, and then sustained, by 

The unseen energies of air. 



The Song of Kansas. 89 

No more the hot sirocco blows — 
The fanner stopped it with his plow; 
No drouth disturbs the drowsy cow — 
The planted grove shades her, and now 

The desert blossoms like the rose. 

COMMERCE. 

Each day her glory like the sun 

In splendor comes; the ready hand 
In field and forge now waves the wand 
With magic power; and through the land 

The thundering wheels of commerce run. 

Mighty black monarchs of the plain, — • 
Great giants with Briarean arms; 
Whose throats belch forth volcanic charms, — 
St^el-shod they tread with wise alarms, 

And pull the lengthened, cumbrous train. 

These mighty engines of the brain 

Have brought fair Fortune here to stay, — 
Have decked the State in bright array, 
With golden grain; and roundelay 

Has ushered in the golden reign. 

THE FLAG. 

Great State! thy work shall never lag, 
For here Columbia's royal mace. 
Advancing, leads her stalwart race; 
While overhead thy star in place, 

Shines brilliant in our country's flag. 



^ 



90 The Song of Kansas. 

Iso flag so great on earth as this I 
Go where you will; in every place 
It honored is; — no hand so base. 
As mar its fair and starry face, 

"Which angels seeing stoop to kiss. 

Let it iu splendor from on high 

Glance on the world its starry beams I 
It now in faith and glory streams, — 
It has fulfilled the patriot's dreams. 

And flaunts in heaven's fair face no lie. 

How beats in love the soldier's heart. 
As he beholds its folds unfurled; 
For it the battles of a world 
He fought, when Treason's lance was hurled; 

And broke beneath his feet the dart. 

Proudly erect the bearer stands. 
As o'er his head the colors wave; 
For this his sword is drawn to save; 
For this he dares to find his grave. 

While it floats heavenward from his hands. 

Let it go forth to every land I 
Let it in starry splendor wave. 
O'er every honored patriot's grave! 
Let it in every ocean lave I 

And be unfurled by every hand ! 



The Song of Kansas. 91 

history's wisdom. 

Down the long aisles of ancient time 
We tread, and view upon our way 
The old historic milestones day 
By day; — some here half-broken lay, 

Sad relics of a distant clime, — 

Some there but half erect recline, 

Bending beneath the weight of age, — 
Perhaps the deeds of saint or sage 
Record, — perhaps the warrior's rage, 

And on his cruelties refine: — 

Whilst here again some shaft is found 
With letters dim, which doth allure 
The eye, — -it fell by that obscure. 
Sad touch, which makes oblivion sure. 

And lies half buried in the ground: 

Or here now comes upon our sight 
A pillar lettered o'er with fame 
Of one, whose long-forgotten name 
Does like some mummied thought exclaim: 

Behold the meteor's passing flight ! 

Name of wise man or nation great, 
On tablet writ, or on the face 
Of obelisk; their fame we trace, — 
The same sure stroke which doth erase 

The one, so marks the other's fate. 



92 The Song of Kansas. 

Throw back the veil ! let in the light 
Of enthertu fire on peoples great ! 
On city, kingdom, or on state, 
O'erthrown by man, or God or Fate, — 

It lights them to eternal night. 

Of such wise lessons Kansas conned; 
And learned to shun the rock and shoal 
Of that dark sea, where ceaseless roll 
The waves that lift or whelm the sonl- 

Filled ship: — her hope is Virtue's bond. 

Nor lift the dark, mysterious veil 

Which shrouds the realms of future day 
Haunt not, without some wise delay. 
Those precincts lit with holy ray, 

That glints upon the hopeful sail. 

Count not, dear friend, the grand array 
Of millions as they proudly swell 
The time-worn rolls, and safely dwell 
On plain, or in the flow'ry dell, 

With peace, — ajid happy in their day: — 

Enough for us to know; their homes. 
Blooming like tlowers on Kansas soil, — 
Warmed by the fires of honest toil. 
And lit with lamp of Wisdom's oil, 

Are safer than the glided domes. 



The Song of Kansas. 93 

THE SUNFLOWER. 

Land of warm hearts, and true and bold; 

Of yellow corn and golden wheat; 

Where rosy morn, in radiance sweet, 

Casts the Orient at her feet; 
And happy colors run to gold. 

Blooming land where the sunflower reigns 
In grace and splendor unconcealed ! 
AVhile sister fl(nvers their homage yield, 
And crown her goddess of the field, — 

The bright Aurora of the plains. 

Along the paths of commerce old, 
She stands a sentinel and queen; 
Streaking the landscape's lovely sheen, 
With tints of yellow in the green; 

And blooms in beauty and in gold. 

THE PATRIOTS LOVE. 

Proud Kansas ! known on land and sea; 
Happy the man on foreign strand 
Who hails from thee ! In any land 
On earth, a Kansan let him stand, 

This name shall be his passport free. 

Kansas ! I love thy sacred name, 

As o'er my memory sweeps the past; — 
From thy dark, deep trouble thou hast 
Now come, to glorious peace, and vast 

Domain, and everlasting fame. 



r 



9i The Song of Kanms. 

I dearly love thy stately frame: — 

That grand physique of prairies wide. 
Which, like some undulatiug tide 
Of mighty sea, billows in pride 

Thy lovely form, and breathes thy name. 

I love thy sonl, — that spark divine 

Which struck from the Almighty mind 
Illumines earth, with manners kind. 
And motives pure, and laws refined. 

And Justice sure, and love benign. 

The home of freemen thou shalt be. 
Where patriot footsteps love to stray. 
And to thy soil their homage pay. — 
Where Virtue with her heavenly ray 

Doth shine in sweetest purity. 

And when Time comes to end my days, — 
Chant in my ear some old refrain 
Of patriot song; — the parting pain 
Will cease; — then say: "In humble strain 

He sang for Kansas her sweet praise.'' 



V. 



)J)]|iscellaneous poems. 



Miscellaneous Poems. 



THE PRAYER UPON THE WALL. 

TO MUS. ELIZAHKTII II. UOSS, OF rillOAGO, IT.L., THIS POEM 
IS DEDICATED. JULY 35, 1888. 

I. UNDER THE LIGHTS. 

As I SAT within my home, 
Turning o'er some ancient tome, 
Mousing at the musty h)re, 
There beside me on tlie Hoor 

Sat my wife, with a 
Many-colored zephyr ball, 

And she stitched away, 
On a motto for the wall. 

One by one the letters spelt 
A prayer, asking Him who dwelt 
In the high cerulean dome, 
Every day to bless our home. 

"God Bless our Home," she 
There with threads of zeplija- ball, 

Like skilled Arachne, 

Wrought this motto for the wall. 
—1 



98 The Song of Kansas. 

Huniining to herself the while, 
''Spicy breath", and "Ceylon's isle'' 
Scent of flowers and song of birds 
Blended with the holy words. 

Thus her hand unsought, 
All my senses did enthrall, — 

Hand that deftly wrought, 
Holy words upon the wall. 

Then I lieard her softly say, 
In her quiet, tuneful way : 
*'Have I inwrought God's design, 
With tliis needle here of mine 

Into every strand; 
And will now a blessing fall 

From the heavenly Hand, 
For this motto on the wall?" 



II. WITHIN THE SHADOWS. 

Dimmed the eyes that brightly shone ! 
Hushed the voice of sweetest tone ! 
Gone the hand that deftly wrought. 
Letters for a blessing sought ! 

On the threshold lie 
My griefs; and I there recall 

Her sweet prayer, by 
The silent motto on the wall. 



J 



The Prmjer upon the Wall. 09 

Trees and flowers and grassy lawn, 
Greet the birds at break of dawn; 
And within the somber shade, 
Still the nest of love is made; 

But my bird is flown, 
Far beyond her mate's recall, 

And faded flowers strown. 
Mock the motto on the wall. 



Birds no more for me will sine-. 
Flowers bloom not in the spring 
Home shall be no home to me, 
Blessings shall I never see; 

Sad I sing my lays, 
For the charming life of all 

Haunts me as I gaze 
On her prayer upon the wall. 

Still I sit within my home, 
Turning o'er the ancient tome; 
Searching for the hidden lore, 
That^ may stricken hearts restore. 

Nor healing heavenly dew, 
Nor Gilead's balm let fall. 

Can bless like one who 
Placed her prayer upon the wall. 



100 The Song of Kansas. 

III. THE BROKEN HAKP. 

Touch not the harp ! its chords are broken, 

Its sweetest tones are dead; 
Like holy words of \o\e unspoken, 

It is a prayer unsaid. 

Or strike the cliords of sinking sadness! 

Responsive to my soul; 
For I am tossed on waves of madness, 

And wild the billows roll. 

Like harp within my home forsaken, 

My life is all unstrung; 
Or like the voice no harp can waken. 

It is a song unsung. 

The soul that now is touched with sorrow, 

Is like a flower unblown; 
Its hopes are rainbows of to-morrow, 

Which span the great unknown. 

Yet, while my heart like harp is broken, 

I sometimes think withal, 
That prayer was by an angel spoken. 

Which hangs upon the wall. 



Dawn. 101 



DAWN. 

And Night, who treads the vaulted dome, threw o^er 
My soul the shadow of her lifted hand, 
Veiling my vision from her starry land; 

And closed from my fond hope that golden shore, 

Whose spangled pathways I should walk no more. 
Then did the heavens recede, and all the grand 
Infinities of worlds that there expand, 

And left me groping at her temple door. 

Then I flung down my faith in man and God; 
But when I turned to drink from Lethe's cup, 

Prophetic Dawn, whose feet are sandal-shod 
With heavenly light, forbade my soul to sup, — 

She chased the shadows with her roseate rod, 
And led the Morn to lift my spirit up. 



102 The Song of Kansas. 



THE TEAR. 

She weeping dropped a tear, and when it fell 
A poet caught the little pearly sphere 
And questioned it; and his enraptured ear 

Caught up the things which it began to tell. 

He heard the tone of solemn sounding knell 
O'er a departed Hope; the cry of Fear; 
The wail of Anguish; and soft sigliings dear 

Which make tlie lover's lonely bosom swell. 

And there he saw ensphered a mother's heart, 
Bleeding for her lost child; and open grave, — 

And Love amid the trophies of his dart, 
With every throb of passion that it gave. 

All heights of joy, and depths of woe, were here 

Encompassed in the ocean of a tear. 



^ 



Life. 103 



LIFE. 

A roET wandered on some shore of time, 

And tliere in numbers wrote in mimic liand 

The story of a life upon the sand; 
But soon tlie tide washed out the poefs rhyme. 
A fair sweet flower within its proper clime, 

Alone, unseen, touched by some magic wand, 

Drooped its fresh face and wept upon the land. 
Poet and flower alike is life sublime. 
But whence, O Life ! come these fair thiugs, the 
flower 

That blooms, the bard who sings, the sea, the sky, 
The scenes of love with their enraptured hour, 

When everything of earth is born to die? 
There is no Oedipus with godlike power, 

To guess the riddle of Life's mystery. 



\ 



104 The Song of Kansas. 



THE LAST ROLL. 

During the closing hours of the Senate, in 1883, it had been sngcres'ed 
that the next roll call would be the last of the expiring session. The 
thought occurred to the author that a poem would be proper at this junc- 
ture. A hastily written one was submitted privately to Senator H. C. SIuss, 
who pronounced it worthy of the occasion, and moved that the Assistant 
Secretary be heard immediately after the call of the last roll. After it 
was read Senator A. R. Greene offered the following resolution, which 
was unanimously adopted : " Resolved, That the poem, with the roll of the 
Senate attached, be spread upon the journal, and that five hundrtid copies 
be printed for the use of the Senate." 

The gavel came down, and a look of sadness 

Came over the President's face; 
And the noisy rattle of mirth and gladness 

Was hushed, while each one in his place. 
Felt around his heart creeping a sorrow past his 

control, 
As the President said: "Secretary, call the last 
roll!" 



Here are now gathered from out this fair land, 

A senate of forty strong men: 
Farmer, doctor, lawyer, merchant, now stand 

With work done — a work that no pen 
Can undo, until Time writes on his old battle- 
scarred scroll, 
The work of a world all done, and his call of the 
last roll. 



The Last Roll. 105 

Now is the time when all differences cease, 

All faiths and religions are one; 
And each high Senator gives a release 

Of all past claims under tlie sun 
That he had on his brother, in pledge of word, 

deed or dole, 
And shakes hands freely all round at the call of 
the last roll. 

Each hobby goes out, lean, lank, and unsaddled; 

Each man is the peer of his brother; 
All issues now end, e'en those that were straddled, 

While souls now embrace one another; — 
And the fierce face of politics the old flag doth 

enroll. 
And heart beats to heart kindly, at the call of the 
last roll. 

No more to all meet on this rounded ball. 

No more in this Senate all stand 
To be counted, — you have heard the last "call"; 

And now comes the time to disband, — 
And I think many hot tears are welling up in the 

soul. 
As you now hear, and respond to the call of the 
last roll. 



.^J 



r 



106 



The Song of Kansas. 



But I ask : Down in the dim future years, 

On the shore of some fair Eden-land, 

May you not all meet, — a senate of seers, 

And clasp the affectionate hand ? 
Ah ! in that dim depth of the future, that fate of 

the soul, 
Who knows but I may call to you all the old Sen- 
ate roir^ 



ROLL OF THE SENATE. 



ALLER, H. M. 
ANDERSON. T. 
BENSON, A. W. 
BLUE, R. W. 
BOLING, T. G. V. 
BRADBURY, L. 
BRETFOGLE, L. W. 
BRIGGS, L. M. 
BRODERICK, CASK. 
BROWN, N. B. 
BUt'HAN, W. J. 
CASE, Q. H. 
CLARK. A. B. 
COGSWELL, A. P. 



COLLINS, IRA F. 
CRANE, R. M. 
EVEREST, A. S. 
FINCH, L. E. 
FUNSTON, E. n. 
GLASSE, W. B. 
GREENE, A. R. 
HACKNEY, W. P. 
HOGG, B. r. 
HUTCHINSON, PERRY. 
JOHNTZ, JOHN. 
JONES, M. T. 
KELLET, HARRISON. 



LONG, J. C. 
MC LOUTH, A. 
METSKEB, D. C. 
MOTZ. SIMON. 
PATCHIN, A. L. 
RECTOR, J. W. 
RIDDLE, A. P. 
SEXTON, J. Z. 
SLUSS, H. C. 
THACHER, S. O. 
WARE, E. P. 
WILKIE, NEIL. 
WILLIAMS, B. M. 



r 



University of Michigan. 



lOT 



UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN. 

DEPARTMENT OF LITERATURE, SCIENCE AND THE ARTS. 

A poem delivered June 27, 1888, before the class of 1858, at the reunion 
after thirty years. 



FRANK ASKE'W. 
LUTHER BECKVITn. 
HENRY A. BUCK. 
H. B. BURGE.sS. 
E. B. CHANULKR. 
GEO. M. CHESTER. 
GEO. M. DANFORTII. 
H. .1. DENNIS. 
.T. Q. A. FRITCUET. 
T. G. GAVIN. 
.JOHN GRAVES. 
WESLEY A. GREEN. 
HORACE HALBERT. 
L. E. HOLDEN. 
JOHN HORNER. 
M. E. N. HOWELL. 
H. A. HUMPHREY. 



THE CLASS. 

R. M. .JOHNSON. 
DANIEL KLOSZ. 
A. .1. LOnMIS. 
HENRY F. LYSTER. 
GEO. A. MARK. 
LEWIS MC LOUTH. 
O. H. MC OMBER. 
C. R. MILLER. 
JOEL MOODY. 
ROBT. S. MOORE. 
JUDD M. MOTT. 
C. W. MYKRANTS. 
A. NEFF. 
L. M. O'BRIEN. 
J. W. PAINE 
C. S. PATTERSON. 



BROWSE J. PRENTIS. 

OSCAR P. PRICE. 

J. E. PRUTZMAN. 

W. E. QUINBY. 

A. RICHARD. 

S. E. SMITH. 

J. T. SNODDY. 

A. K. SPENCE. 
JAMES W. STARK. 
O. P. STEARNS. 
GEO. P. SWEET. 

B. U. THOMPSON. 
GEO. W. WALL. 
D. B. WEBSTER. 
F. R. WILLIAMS. 
W. S. AVOODRUFP. 



THRENODY. 



The Years; daughters of Time, have langh'cl 

And wept in circling 'round, 
Since we were students here, and trod 

This classic college ground. 
Came they in garb of flow'ry May, 

Or whitening wintry snow; 
With wreath of bay or daffodil; 

Came they to reap or sow; 
The flow' ret here to cast that cheers, 

The ashes there of woe; 



■^ 



lOS T/ie Song of £ansas. 

Their fleeting forms went swiftly by. 

And thirty in their turn. 
Have dropped the oflF'riug of their hands 

AVithin the troKien urn. 



n. 

Recollections holy I how like 

A troop of angel forms 
Arise, bringing the olden times; 

And all our being warms. 
To see the fond, fair pictures that 

They hold to Memory's eye; 
Turning the thought to dear old scenes, 

As they go glinting by. 
At this, convulsed, we happy laugh. 

At that, we heave the sigh; 
While now some fairy stands in view, 

And Memory loves to dwell 
With sacred form that haunts the soul. 

And charms with magic spell. 



in. 

Backward through years; and now we ask 

As there transported stand 
Upon the boundary of some 

Far-otf enchanted land: 



University of Michigan. 109 

What hallowed sound is that which comes 

Upon the waves sublime, 
Now gently falling on the ear 

Like some old mystic rhyme, 
And sets our spirits all a-duncing 

•'To its rhythmic chime? 
Breathe not the word to earthly forms; 

To heaven its virtues tell; 
While Thirty Years ring out: the tone 

Of dear old college bell. 



IV. 

How sad the thought, as now we go, 

Boys again, arm in arm 
Down through the college grounds and halls, 

Striving the ancient charm 
To find; striving alas I in vain. 

The old cannot be found; 
Nor ancient seat where once we sat; 

Nor open college ground; 
Nor bell that rang us out and in 

With its melodious sound. 
Little the use of coming back 

To search for ancient joys, 
For all we find of what was here, 

When we were college boys. 



110 The Song of Kansas. 



Gone is the dear old chancellor: boys 

Were we of Tappan's pride: 
The me and not one of his lore, 

These too are laid aside. 
Wisdom, he told us, is to grow; 

And little were the odds 
When Reason's great informing law, 

Which woi-king in the clods 
Of flesh, transports the souls of men, 

And lifts them unto gods: 
To grow in beauty and in grace, 

Not cumbering the ground; 
But stalworth plants of earth, reaching 

To heaven, with honor crowned. 



VI. 

Wise were the lessons that he taught, 

And with benignant care; 
And quick to grow within our souls, 

The seeds he scattered there. 
Wide and generous was his thought. 

Clasping the human race: 
Deep was his love; and we could read. 

As beaming on his face, 
Came the true story of his heart. 

That there we had a place 



University of Iflchigan. Ill 

August he stands like holy sage, 

In majesty of soul, 
Pointing to Truth; and bids our names 

In her great book enroll. 



VII. 

High hopes and will for any fate 

Inspire, as now we stand 
On great commencement day and take 

The parchment from his hand. 
How on the mental vision crowd 

The freighted scenes, which hold 
Their places in the chambers 

Of the soul, and gild the old 
With their fantastic hues, and deck 

The dark with threads of gold ! 
Now o'er his grave in foreign land, 

We bow in sorrow there; 
Nor comes the blessing from his hand. 

Nor from his lips the prayer. 



VIII. 

I 

How hath it fared with us since then, 

When with elastic tread, 
We passed the threshold of these halls 

With halo 'round our head? 



112 The Song of Kansas. 

Wide is the world, and many a voice 

Invites us to the prize; 
Fame with his clarion notes, and War 

Invites where patriot dies: 
And fairy Fancies call, and high 

The stars of Glory rise. 
Into the depths of life's great sea 

We plunge, and on its waves 
We ride o'er sunken hopes, and see 

Their wintry, watery graves. 



IX. 

The halos 'round our youthful heads 

Soon vanish into air; 
And all the clustering laurels fall 

That we had gathered there. 
Then on the dusty road of life. 

Some went to earn a name; 
And long they sat beneath, and conned 

The finger-board of Fame. 
The path they took to right or left, 

To them was all the same; 
The one who reached, and he who failed, 

Soon found what Tappan said: 
Is hunger of the soul, and wailed 

At last for heavenly bread. 



University of Michigan. 113 

X. 

The star of Glory too doth pass 

Before our waiting eyes, 
Like falling meteor seen awhile, 

Then on the vision dies: 
And all the Fancies of our youth 

Now wreathe the brows of Fact; 
Who stubborn stood upon the road, 

And bid us dare to act: 
While he the coward struck with blade, 

And him who virtue lacked. 
He bid us reap in life's great field, 

And harvest home the sheaves; 
For Autumn comes at last, to strew 

Our patiis with withered leaves. 



XI. 

And War hath called, and many went 

The Nation's flag to save. 
In honor all we stand, but some 

Adorn the patriot's grave. 
They answered to the bugle's call 

And to their country's prayer. 
Kow at their graves we sadly meet 

And lay the garlafed there. 
Wreathed by a classmate's hands in love, 

And with a soldier's care. 

—8 



114 The Song of Kanms. 

Brave children they, who went to die 
Upon their country' s breast. 

And sleeping there, in glorj lie 
Within her arms at rest. 



xn. 

Dear class of Fifty-Eight, clasp hands, 

And with the warm, tirm grip 
Of friendship, let the old wine of 

Thirty years touch the lip. 
Here are we met, mellowed with age 

And ripened to the core; 
Again to part; perchance to meet 

When life's brief work is o'er, 
With those who passed its boundaries 

To some Arcadian shore; 
Perhaps within that realm unknown 

To find life's better part; 
If not, Hope dying shall condone 

This token of the heart. 



> 



Old Captain Suinpter. 115 



OLD CAPTAIN SUMPTER. 

The following poem was recited at tlie camp fire on tlie evening be- 
fore the unveiling of the soldiers' monument at Mound City, October 24, 
1889. Governor L. U. Humphrey, to whom the poem is didicated, received 
the original manuscript. Captain Sumpter died suddenly, while telling 
his little grandson about the war. lie was a member of the military order 
of the Loyal Legion. 

"•Grandpa," said little Sam, as he came in 
From play, "were you a soldier of the war? 

And did you stick to Uncle Sam and win? 
And did you get that great, long, ugly scar 

Upon your face by standing to your colors true, 

While you did march, and fight, and wear the sol- 
dier' s blue ? ' ' 

"Why do you ask?" said Sumpter old and gray; 

"Come to my side, my boy, and tell me why 
Such thoughts as these do thus disturb your play?" 

And as he spoke there stood within his eye 
A trembling tear, which sparkling shone like 

morning dew; 
"Why do you ask about the war, and those who 
wore the blue? " 

"Because," said little Sam, "we boys play war; 

We drum, and march and fight with wooden guns; 
And then our captain wears a shining star. 

And says: ' Be brave ! the man is killed who runs! 



116 The Song of Kansas. 

Stand to your colors like a ITnio]i volunteer!' 
And when the euenij is hit and falls we cheer! 



"And then you know, on Decoration days, 

The pretty girls do corae with flowers to strew 

The graves of soldiers dead, and rich bouquets 
They tie with ribbons — red and white and blue. 

The colors of tliis button here in your lapel, — 

And place them on the grassy mounds of those 
who fell." 



The tear then dropped, and fell on Sammy's brow; 
But the soldier's eyes were fixed upon the sky. 
And wore a dreamy look, as if somehow 

To scenes of other years — to days gone by — 
His thought had turned entranced, and lingering 

far away, 
On things grown old perhaps, but not to him 
grown gray. 

"Yes, my lad," he then began, "hear me now: 
When Sumpter fell I saw my flag go down; 

I saw the patriot blood on Ellsworth's brow. 
Which now immortal wreaths of glory crown; 

And as he tore the traitor's flag I saw him fall, — 

Then as a voice from heaven I heard my country 
call. 



Old Ca2>tam Bitmpter. 117 

"Your father was a little lad like yon, 

Not in his teens; and sister running round 

And prattling every word of love she knew: — • 
At sucli a time, at home, I heard the sound 

Of fife- and drum, that mustering rolled from sea 
to sea. 

And patriotic words of Abe that called for me. 

"Then to defend tlie starry flag I swore — - 

The flag for which I saw my country rise — 
Sadly I lingered at my cabin door, 

And lingering looked through tears to tearful 
eyes; 
How could I then from wife and little ones depart, 
When beating drum was drowned by the beating 
of my heart ! 

"But Heaven gives strength to man in times like 
these — 

They said I went for fear the boys would lag — 
But one acts sometimes better than he sees; 

And what is home without the patriot's flag? 
It is a place in which tempestuous tumults roll; 
Or palace built by man without a human soul. 

"For this I left to weeds the planted corn, 
The plow forsaken in the field to rust; 

And with a prayer to God for landis new shorn, 
Into His hands committed I the trust; 



118 Tlie Song of Kansas. 

And oft a thought would turn to dear ones left 

l)ehiiid, 
And oft the thou2:ht: If killed, will the Nation 

then be kind^ 

"On Shiloh's bloody field, in Yicksburg's vale, 
And in the clouds on Lookout"' s dizzy crest, 

We met our country's foes, and told the tale 
Of battles won by soldiers of the West; 

Then from Atlanta marched for honors yet to be, 

Until our banners kissed the waters of the sea. 

"Stayed not the march, but up toward Lee we 
turned, 
A thundering, fighting phalanx, 'hot from hell,' 
But Grant took him for whom our banners burned, 

And Treason there at Appomattox fell. 
Sammy, you are well up in school, you know the 

rest, 
But I was a Union volunteer and a soldier of the 
West. 

"Then came the grand review at Washington, 
When Peace lit on the flag all battle torn; — 

And when I think on all tlie battles lost and won. 
The comrades dear, and lives and loves outworn, 

The famous names that live upon the Nation's 
scroll. 

The flag is worth them all, the mistress of my soul. 



Old Captain Sumpter. 119 

"This button is an emblem of the flag; 

The flag an emblem of a patriot^ 8 love; 
And while my weary hours through life I drag, 

I'll wear it like a sacred charm above 
My heart." lie ceased; his voice had to a whis- 
per died, 
While the fond hand, unclasped, had dropped 
from Sammy's side. 

His cheek fell soft upon the youthful brow. 
Like age supported by the youthful limb; 
"Please tell me more," said Sammy, "please," 
but now 
The ear heard not the tender call to him. 
Life's floating flag was furled o'er drooping head; 
His soul had joined the "Loyal Legion" of the 
dead. 



120 The Song of Kansas. 



THE GUEST AT HOME. 

There is a guest true hearted wlio comes, 
Be the day ever so dark or so fair, 
And spreads o'er my face her curtain of hair; 

While strains of old songs she soothingly hum's. 

Then on my bosom she teiuloi-ly lies, 

And presses her love-prayer warm to my lip; 
While softly her dark lashes sweepingly dip 

Into the deep rivers flooding my eyes. 

No voice do I hear, no form do I see; 

No warm hand to press, nor kisses to share; 

No footfall to greet, and vacant her chair; 
But still in my home she cometli to me. 

The world may say I'm alone and forsaken; 
But little it dreams of the angel who cheers, 
And brings to me, laden with perfume of years, 

Both lily and rose, old loves to awaken. 



TJie Sawmill of the Gods. 121 



THE SAWMILL OF THE GODS. 

Tins poem was recited by the author at a banquet given by the 
alumni of the University of Mich gan, May 23, 1890, at the Coates House, 
Kaii^ud City. 

"The mills of the gods Kiiiul slow." 

The sawmill of the gods saws slowly the tree; — 
No matter how liard or how soft it may be, 
Nor the kind, wiiether oak or basswood or pine, 
The sawdust comes out of it almighty fine. 

ATid noiseless it runs as the hourglass of Time; 
And sharply it cuts, and its work is sublime; 
For high on Olympus this sawmill doth stand, 
And ever it runs by an almighty hand. 

On the timber of mortals it saweth away; 
And ever it saws by night and by day; 
And it faithfully saws up all kinds of wood, — 
The infernal bad and almighty good. 

Trees that storms and lightning have ruined and rift; 
Eotten of heart; and slimy deadwood and diift; 
Old haunts of the vermin, where the woodpecker 

lurks, 
Are sawed in this mill where the Almighty works. 



■^ 



122 The Song of Kansas. 

A lul the buzz-saw therein sliines bright as the suns, — 
Forged by old Yulcan, — and like lightning it runs, 
With this notice above it lettered in chert : 
"The man who here monkeys gets mightily hurt." 

And there an inspector stands silent and sad, 
To divide all that 's sawed, the good from the bad; 
For says an old saw: "In the mills of the gods, 
Between good and bad there 's an almighty odds." 

And the one who divides, divideth it well; — 
The sap, shake, and slabs he slides into hell; 
But the sound he saves for the house of the god, 
Who shaketh the earth with his almighty nod. 

And in the divide of the sawed it is well 
To consider, how much may slide into hell; 
For it seems to your servant singing this hymn, 
That the part for the gods is almighty slim. 

Friends, I'm a lumberman, and tell what I know, — 
That in poor grades there's hell and profits are 

low, — 
But we'll find when we get to Jupiter's land. 
That the profit in "clears" is almighty grand. 

And as we pass through the Arcadian grove 
Where all the great gods and fair goddesses rove. 
We may be invited to a banquet most grand 
Where nectar exalts in that almighty land. 



TliS Sawmill of the Gods. 123 

Where Orpheus, — for strains that lingeriiigly 

dwell, 
Doth finger the strings of the enchanted shell; 
And for music on high, whicli ever shall lead. 
Old Marsyas doth pipe his almighty reed. 

Then may we beliold our great Tap])an advance, 
With proud Juno in liand, to lead in a dance, 
And we shall all join the Olympian girls, 
And laugh when Jupiter shakes his almighty curls. 

Nor will be debarred from that banqueting floor 
The girls of our campus, who are read in the lore 
Of Homer and Virgil, and passed all our classes. 
And have climbed the heights of almighty Par- 
nassus. 



124: The Song of Kansas. 



"LOOKING BACKWARD" 

TO MRS. W. I. WAY, TOPEKA, KAXSAS. 

The author wag asked what he thought of Bellamy's "Looking Back- 
ward", and responded as follows: It is the old satyr which Plato in his 
"Banquet" made Alcibiades liken Socrates to. It is a rude and wanton 
goat, with horns and cloven hoof, and hairy skin wrapped round a hidden 
god within, who pipes the heavenly music of Marsyas. I submit the fol- 
lowing review as a close imitation in theory and plan of book, but not in 
diction or subject. 

' ^Looking BackiDard / " I ' ve read the book, — 
It's wearisome and trifling; 
It's an old salt, like the leal look 
Of Lot's unsavory wifellng, 
Looking hackward. 

As I look back to boyhood years, 

Ah ! sadly I remember. 
The ride I took with my bay steers; 

' T was coldly in December, 
As I look hack. 



In tumbling leaps old tumblers tip 
For a perspective survey, 

Then forward jump and as they flip 
They see things topsy-turvy. 
In tunibUng leaps. 



Looking Backward. 125 

I was the son of Deacon Cash, — 
Sweet was the preacher's dangliter, 

And her ejes shone in heaven's flash, 
Like lakes of sparkling water : 
I was the sun. 

This looking back is a torn leaf 

From out old Memory's wish-book, — 

It is a lie, a cheat, a thief, 
A false fly on the fish hook. 
This looking hack. 

She was the girl that I loved best, 

Now, since the last September; 
And my heart burned beneath my vest, 

Just like a hickory ember, — 
She was the girl. 

It touches not the heart in these 

Damp days of solid learning; 
We pant for new life, the fresh breeze. 

Wafting some new heart's yearning, — 
It touches not. 

Upon the sled away we bore; 

Robes wrapped us up in gladness; — 
Heavenly stars ! how they ran and tore 

The pure white snow! — white sadness 
Upon the sled. 



126 The Somj of Kansas. 

It is too old for this day' s thought ; — 
Lucretius sleeps with Moses, — 

Give us the thing the heart has wrought, 
Spellbound with this day's posies: — 
It is too old. 

Two miles from fire, — then an elm tree 
Both steers together straddled; — 

' T was lightning struck ray girl and me. 
And stars and steers skedaddled; 
Two miles from fire. 

When he looked back on ages past 

Grand Plato saw Atlantis; 
And More, Utopia wrote at last; 

But Bellamy burst their panties, 
When he looJ^ed hack. 

There was no trouble in that meeting. 
Reaching the heart I treasure; 

For soon I found it proudly beating 
To mine in rhythmic measure; — 
There was no trouble. 

If we look back in prose or rhyme. 
Why drawl it through the ages? 

Give us the fire of present time. 
To burnish up the pages. 
If we look hack. 



Looking Backward. 127 

I love her yet, though far apart, — 
She taught me early teaming, — 

I broke my steers, she broke my heart,— 
But there ' s no harm in dreaming 
Hove her yet. 

As age creeps on old fields we glean. 
Bent forward at the gleaning ; — 

At last we tumble as we lean, 

And Time rakes up with meaning, 
As age CTeej>s on. 



128 The Song of Kansas. 



A YOUNG LADY'S HOLOCAUST. 

My lover's letters saved with sacred care, 
Tear stained I bring before the welcome fire, 
Inspired by some imholj, fell desire 

To burn these missives, once so sweet and fair. 

And float their priceless perfumes in the air. 
Now ! as they rise upon the funeral pyre, 
And hopes of life and dreams of love expire. 

It seems the scent of blossoms still is there. 

Dear, darling treasures of my maiden dream ! 
The brief, fond flutter of my blooming heart ! 

O friendly fire, how warm and bright ye gleam ! 
As now blind Cupid's trophies here depart. 

Henceforth to me how vain and weak shall seem 
The captive chains, and splendors of his dart. 



The Child of Fate. 129 



THE CHILD OF FATE. 

The child of fate sat on a grassy bank 
Of Time's swift stream, and careless said: "My 
plank 

I launch, and on tliis flood I '11 reach the Great ! 

I shall be honored of the mighty state, 
And I shall rise, and none shall me outrank." 
But soon athirst, he of the waters drank, 
And into dark forgetfulness he sank — 

And fortune missed — with dreamy senses sate — 
Tlie child of fate. 

Then dear, kind Nature came, and seized the crank. 
And tore him from his raft, where chains did clank, 
And said: "Arise, before it is too late ! " 
And pounded sense and shame into his pate; 
And then, with all her energies did spank 
Tlie child of fate. 



—9 



130 The Song of Kcmsas. 



A SCOTCH SONG: "STORMY WEATHER." 

A LASSIE braw had cawd her kje 

Aniang the tangled heather; 
And aften she would moan and sierh: 

"It's chill and stormy weather; 
And I'm alane, and there is nane 

Wi' whom I may forgether; 
And aft I greet wi my cauld feet, 

This stoor and stormy weather." 

When Jamie lad cam ower the knowe 

She put him in a swither; 
As modestly she taiild him how 

She could 'na thole the weather. 
He asked her name, and whaur her hame, 

And spiert aboot her father; 
But nane she ' d name, to tak the blame, 

But cauld and stormy weather. 

Then Jamie said: "Come bide wi' me 

While it is stormy weather; 
For something tells me in your e'e 

We'll live and love together." 
Then he laid doon his plaid and shoon, 

And Love made them a tether; — 
He wrapped her roun', and they were soon 

Beyond the stormy weather. 



A German Drinking Song. 131 

He whispered in her ear while they 

Were warm and sweet thegither, 
And said: "You'll niver rue the day 

You drave amang the heather. 
You'll be ray wife, and thro' our life 

We'll live and love together; 
You'll tak my name, and in our hame 

There'll ne'er be stormy weather." 



A GERMAN DRhNKING SONG. 

Oh! peer's goot when I gets full niit enof, 
Und foor dot reasons mine beoples I lof ; 
Und Sunday to der peer-garten I goes, 
Mine pelly to fill oop fon head to toes. 

CHOEUS: 

Oh ! gif us a glass of peer, boys, 

Gif us a glass of peer. — 
Fill oop der stein so white mit foam, 

To stop our song und thirst; — 
Gif it to all dose pellies along, 

Alvays not full to burst. 

Und mit those days all mine droobles he goes, 
Und den mine feelings coom oop, und I grows — ■ 
Und I feel so big dot Gott in der sky 
Vas not so tall noor so bigger as I. 



132 The Song of Kansas. 

Und I gits so fool of lof uud goot cheer, 
Dot religion comes on top of mine peer; — 
Und I lof mine brooder so goot dot day, 
I gifs to him all mine moneys avay. 

Und I lofs his children und schweet fraii too. 
Fur dot leetle saucy flies, she would shoo 
Fon mine peer glass, und alvays ray nose, 
Und den I calt her mine Vaterland rose. 

I hat all der times mine arm rount her vaste 
Und I keest her, which vas schweet to my taste; 
Und on dot vat did we do und propose? 
Vhy ! we trink some more peer ! vhat you suppose ? 



''Eximpty 133 



"EXIMPT." 

O' Kelly he swore, and bejabers he did, — 

That the head of a family he was, 
And the buggy he owned, bejabers he said 

Was ontoirly eximpt at the laws. 

Fur the raison was clear, bejabers it was, 
That he hauled therein the stuff he ate, 

And whisky he drank, when he plead at the laws, 
And rode in, fur the paple to cliate. 

O' Kelly a farmer, bejabers he was. 

Who leased out his sole acre on shares, 

To the big bugs, and the grasshoppers and craws. 
And hauled home therein, bejabers, — tlie tares. 

And a granger he was, bejabers he said, 

Before whom he now plead his own cause, — • 

And fur the above raisons, and other ones hid, 
This buggy, it was eximpt at the laws. 



r 



134 The Song of Kansas. 



THE LOANED BOOK. 

I LOANED her a book, 'twas a beautiful psalm, 
The sweet and quaint poem of Omar Khayyam. 

From my own hand she took this treasure of 

mine, — 
This story of Life, and read line upon line. 

What was dark as a dream in figure of speech. 
Clear marginal notes the true meaning did teach. 

And pure as a brook that runs bright over sand, 
And sparkling with truth, was this book from my 
hand. 

Alas ! not by the hand in which it was placed, 
Like some Orient gem her fingers had graced; 

But by far other hand the book was returned. 
As tho' the hand favored, the favor had spurned. 



Alone. 135 



ALONE. 

What sounds of sorrow from the dark inane 
Come to the soul that feels itself alone! — 
Its only self to hear the lonely groan, 

For its lost self, weeping o'er friendships slain, 

And flitting faiths that ne'er will come again. 
It is the storm at sea, whose thunder tone 
Dies in the misty cloud or billows' moan, 

"Weeping its fitful self away in rain. 

And I have seen a lone, forsaken bird, 

Whose wonted mate was dead, droop his tired 
wing. 

And wait the call that should no more be heard, — 
Until the storms of Winter past, and Spring 

Had budded forth again, some warbled word 
Of love attuned again his heart to sing. 



136 The Song of Kansas. 



THE ENCHANTED GARDEN. 

There is a garden where I love to dwell, — 

There no rude winds do blow, nor scorching snn 
Shines in upon the work ere it is done; 

Nor anything there done too sad to tell; 

For there all life is an enchanted spell. 
It is a place where crystal waters run, 
Gurgling through flowery mead which charm- 
eth one 

Like the soft chimings of a distant bell. 

Within this garden grows the tree which yields 
To man the measure of its fruitful joys; 

And in its mighty top and branches shields 
The charmed inmates that it there decoys; 

There all the blushing flowers of virtue start, — 

It is t/ie garde?i of a lovely heart. 



Silver Threads. 137 



SILVER THREADS. 

TO MRS. JOHN FAUNSWORTH, FOUT SCOTT, KANSAS. 

How sad the years do beckon back 
Our thoughts along Life's beaten track; 
And visions of the long ago 
Float round us as they come and go, 
And sacred memories linger there, 
When silver threads come in the hair. 

And sad the song old Ocean sings, 

As homeward he our cargo brings, 

To find our ships were tempest tossed. 
And our fond hopes were sunk and lost, 

And promised wealths were buried there. 

When silver threads come in the hair. 

And sad our souls are bowed in grief, 

As we turn over, leaf by leaf. 

The sacred book our lives have made, 
To find therein less light than shade. 

And long-lost hearts and faces fair, 

When silver threads come in the hair. 

Yet sweet it is for us to know. 
That flowers do live beneath the snow; 
And Winter always hath its Spring, 
When flowers will bloom and birds will sing; 
And souls we love will grow more fair. 
When silver threads come in the hair. 



138 The Song of Kansas. 



WHAT IS THE WORLD TO ME? 

What is the world to me without 
One loving heart to cherish; 

Who ne'er my faithful love will doubt, 
Though other faiths maj perish? — 

For it's a phantom flitting past 

That says: No faith nor love shall last. 

What is the world to me, when no 
Soft lips, with their caressing, 

Invite my soul to stay, and go 
Not elsewhere for its blessing? — 

For it's no phantom of the air 

That makes those lips destroy my care 

What is the world to me, when those 
Bright eyes the fairies lend her, 

To light my soul to its repose, 
Shine not for me in splendor? — 

For 'twas a phantom of the mind 

That painted Eros young and blind. 

What is the world to me, if there 
Be not one fond and certain 

To veil me with her silken hair, 
A soft, disheveled curtain? — 

For she's no phantom of the night 

Who veils my soul in soft delight. 



r 



What is the World to Me? 139 

What is the world to me, although 
My praise be world-wide spoken, 

Without some one to say, I know 
His pledge was never broken ? — 

For piping phantoms never voice 

That praise which makes my heart rejoice. 

What is the world to me, witli all 

Its gilded pomp and pleasure. 
Without some dearest one to call 

My own, my heart's sweet treasure? 
I '11 have no phantom in my grasp, 
But one soul's wealth of love to clasp! 



140 The Song of Kanms. 



"THE MAPLES." 

Name of my home, at Monud City. Suggested by Mrs. Ella C. Porter. 

Ye village of the Maple hills, 

I sing thy song, — 
Bowed in the shadows of the past, 

I plaint thy wrong; — 
Let every sense that beauty thrills 

Thy praise complete I 
For Nature brings her gifts to cast 

Them at thy feet. 

Ye Maples of the towering hills 

And tlowery glade 1 
How thy tall trunks and branches cast 

The somber shade ! 
And while my soul thy beauty thrills, 

Thy shadows creep — 
For in the shadows of the past, 

My hopes do sleep. 

Dear Maples ! now thy shimmering leaves 

For loving kiss. 
Turn throbbing to the evening breeze 

With lioatinff bliss. 



''The Maplesr 141 

How oft beneath thy dripping eaves, 

In suuinier shower, 
Have warblers of the summer trees 

Enjoyed thy bower! 

How doth my soul the shimmering leaves 

Of Memory kiss ! 
How oft my heart doth throbbing seize 

The floating bliss ! 
When baby arms, in snow-white sleeves, 

Did bless the Power 
That spread the shadows of the trees. 

For summer hour. 

Sweet Maples ! Now your saddening shade 

Doth crape my head; 
As reverently I lowly bow 

Unto my dead. 
Two sister hearts are lowly laid. 

Both safe and sweet: — 
''The Maples'''' cast their shadows now, 

Close to their feet. 



HISTORIC NOTES. 

NOTE 1. 

One of the most memorable expeditions whicli followed 
tlie conquest of Mexico was that led by Francisco Vasqiiez de 
Coronado, in search of the seven cities of Cibola and the famed 
land of Quivira, during the years 1540 to 1542. 

It takes us back to a time when but little was known of this 
western hemisphere, or, in fact, of the size, shape or geography 
of the earth; to a time when physical science was unknown, 
save what had come down from Aristotle; to a time when the 
reason of man, inquiring after the causes of things, founded its 
speculations on fancy rather than fact. It was just at the 
dawn of intellectual freedom, ushered in by the invention of 
printing; and nineteen years before Elizabeth ascended the 
throne of England, whose reign named an age in letters and 
science. It was eighty years before Bacon gave to the world 
his Novum Organum; sixty years before Shakespeare put upon 
the stage those masterly plays which will outlive his nation; 
and eighty years before the Pilgrims landed with their story of 
grief to chant their song of freedom in the American wikler- 
uess. 

This army which Coronado led out of Mexico, to go with 
him in quest of gold and to plant the cross on the Rocky 
Mountains and on the plains of Kansas, contained only three 
hundred men, but the best and noblest blood of Spain ran in 
their veins. It is said no other expedition in the new world 
contained more men of noble birth. Among them we find the 
resolute Captains Melchior Diaz and Juan de Saldibar, who, 
with but twelve men as an advance guard, penetrated the 
primeval wilderness northward seven hundred miles, and after- 
ward, under the direction of Coronado, went in search of and 
found the records of the adventurer and sailor, Don Fernando 



144 The Somj of Kansas. 

Alargon, who had asoeuileil the Colorado river 160 miles from 
iti> mouth, but who was forced to alnmdon the expeilition at 
the uortheru extremity of the Gulf of California. Heruando 
d' Alvarado was also another great captain, who with small de- 
tachments of triK>ps exploreil the country for many huudretls 
of miles right and left of Coronado's route. We find also the 
historians Castafleila and Janimillo. who accompanied the ex- 
peilitiou from beginning to end, and faithfully chronicled its 
history. 

When we consider this small troop of men separating them- 
selves from their companions in arms, and, without any base 
for supplies, plunging into an unknown wilderness, with its in- 
accessible mountains, its mighty streams, and treeless, sandy 
deserts, to there subsist on what the ch;\se or the Indian could 
bestow, to contend against the vicissitudes of the seasons, the 
climate and the elements, and to encounter for nearly three 
years the savage l>easts and more savage man, we are over- 
whelmed with wonder at their daring and fortitude. It reveals 
to us in no suuill degree the indomitable pluck and energy, the 
sturdy and tireless soldiery, and the unbounded zeal which ani- 
mated those old Spanish cavaliers who fought the battles of 
Spain under Ferdinand and Isabella and established the power 
and glory of Charles the Fifth. 

IfOTE a. 
The immediate cause of Coronado's march was the marvel- 
ous story which Alvar Xuiiez Calnx'a de Vaca told on his ar- 
rival in Mexico, after having traveleil from east to west across 
the continent. This celebrated gentleman and historian, whom 
Robertson calls "one of the most gallant and virtuous of Span- 
ish adventurers," was the treasurer of that ill-fated military ex- 
peilition undertaken by Narvaez in Florida, in the year 1528. In 
less than one ye;u- this whole comuuuid i)erisheil. either by the 
enemy, by st;irvation. or the elements. CalHX'a with three 
others alone surviveil. They remained with the natives for 
six years, neaj the coast of the Gulf of Mexico, luid at last. 
after having learned the Uinguage, the habits and character of 



^ 



Historic Notes. 145 

the Indian tribes fiTcnienlinK tliose parts, they elTectetl their 
escape. They passed iiortlivvard into the mountains of Alar 
bama; then tailing a northwestern course into Tennessee, were 
the first white men to discover the Mississipj)! river, wiiich 
Cabeya called ''the great river" coining from the north. This 
discovery preceded I)e Soto at least six years. This river they 
crossed, and traveled westward through nortiiern Arkansas, 
and up the Arkansas around the great I)en(l. There is no 
doubt that Cabe(;a and his companions were tlie first wiiile 
men within historic times who had touched upon the soil of 
Kansas. It is reported by the chroniclers of Coronado's ex- 
pedition that "ten days after leaving the Rio de Cicuyti," (at a 
point near the present town of Pecos, on their march,) "they 
discovered some tents of taiiued buffalo skins, inhabited by In- 
dians who were like Arabs, and who were called Querechios, 
and contiiuiing their march in a northeasterly direction, they 
soon came to a village which Cabega de Vaca and l)oraut(!S 
had passed tln-ough on their way from Florida to Mexico." 

This village was at least 250 miles from tlie present town of 
Pecos, and by the "trail" was certainly in Kansas. This old 
Indian trail, along which was borne the commerce of pre- 
historic times, passed just west of the great cahon of the Cana- 
dian river, thence through the cities of Cibola into Old Mexico. 
On this trail Cabega went thence through New Mexico, passing 
near Zuni's heights and southward to Old Mexico, where he 
arrived in 1530, having been one year on his journey. His 
report, made up of the story of his bondage, his travels and 
trials by land and sea, his knowledge of a vast continent which 
he had traversed, the home of heretofore unknown races of 
men, all colored in fervid language and imagination, became 
a great unwritten poem of adventure to Coronado, of which he 
should become the hero in daring deeds and brilliant exploits. 

NOTE 3. 

The seven cities of Cibola, instead of being that iu number, 

and instead of being "a great city, inhabited with great store 

of people, and having streets and market places, and built of 
-10 



L 



146 The Song of Kansas. 

certain great houses of five stories high, of lime and stone," 
turned out to be a few common Pueblo adobes. These struc- 
tures were composed of dried mud, and were seldom more than 
one story high, similar in all respects to those of the Tlascaus 
and Tescucans of Mexico at the time of the conquest. J. H. 
Simpson, in his article on the "Seven Cities of Cibola," ( Smith- 
sonian Report, 1869,) says: "In the year 1530, Nuno de Guz- 
man, president of New Spain, was informed by his slave, an 
Indian from the province of Tejos, situated somewhere north 
from Mexico, that in his travels he had seen cities so large that 
they might compare with the City of Mexico; that these cities 
were seven in number, and had streets that were exclusively 
occupied by workers in gold and silver; that to reach them a 
journey of forty days was required, and that travelers pene- 
trated that region by directing their steps northwardly between 
the two seas." This story proved to be one of the many Indian 
fables told to the Spanish adventurer for the purpose of excit- 
ing or curing his disease — "-the desire for gold." 

Cibola was never found, for the reason that it never existed. 
Simpson, above quoted, thinks Zuhi is the spot. He followed 
the guess of Gallatin, Squier, Whipple, Prof. Turner, and Kern. 
Others think Chaco the spot; some Santa F6; while others again 
hold that the "seven cities" were located far to the eastward. 
But while these seven cities of Cibola never came to light, the 
fact remains that many small villages existed in New Mexico 
and along the Gila river, the habitations of a race of Indians 
who did not live alone by the chase, but combined with this a 
rude and primitive agriculture, with some few simple domestic 
arts. This distinguished them from the wild, Arab-like, roving 
Indians of the plains, who lived in movable tents made of 
tanned buffalo skins. 

The Pueblos also dug caves into the sides of the mountains 
at places, which proved a means of defense against their rov- 
ing neighbors, and with whom they came in contact on the 
great plains, the home of the buffalo. In these caves and mud 
villages they dwelt for ages, comparatively secure, yet in dis- 
gusting primitive filth and squalor. 



Ilistoric Notes. 147 

The fabulous stories told by the Indians were only equaled 
by the Spaniard's contempt of truth in relating his exploits iu 
the new world. The fables of the Indian became a jack-o'- 
lantern to the chivalrous Spaniard, which he followed from 
place to place. Not to be outdone when he found himself 
duped, he often reported as veritable great adventures which 
he had undertaken, in a vast empire filled with magnificent 
cities, and inhabited by a powerful, rich and brave people, and 
who at last were subdued by his valor. It is indeed pleasant 
for the honest searcher after historic truth to get down from 
the dizzy heights of story to which Irving and Prescott have 
led him, and to tread the solid and stubborn ground of fact 
with such a student as R. A. Wilson, and other historic and 
scientific workers In our own practical age. 

NOTE 4. 
It cannot be denied that the soldiers of Coronado's army, 
though principally of high birth, were sadly disappointed at 
the disgusting spectacle of Pueblo women living in their im- 
paralleled filth and brutality; for in all the expeditions of ad- 
venture by the conquering Spaniard in New Spain the soldier 
looked forward with lustful hope, as much to sliare the captured 
Indian damsel, as to the precious metals or brilliant stones of 
the earth. The leaders themselves shared and set the example 
of this primitive lustful luxury. Don Pedro d'Alvarado had 
under Cortes, at the fall of the Tlascan republic, received an 
Indian beauty. Donna Louisa, the daughter of a chief; and five 
other Indian girls were apportioned to other officers, says Pres- 
cott, "after they had been cleansed from the stains of infidelity 
by the waters of baptism," Cortes himself lived in the con- 
stant companionship of Donna Marina, who, "beautiful as a 
goddess," served him as mistress and interpreter, from the time 
he captured her at Tobasco, till after the conquest. While 
threading his way through the everglades of Honduras, and 
contemplating his return to Spain, he gave this faithful friend 
to Don Juan Xanlorillo, a Castiliau knight. As soon as her 
services become no longer profitable she is with trifling cere- 
mony discarded, and her name disappears from history. 



148 The Song of Kansas. 

In connection with this Spanish brutality and lust, Diaz, 
(vol. 1, p. 368,) says: "After peace had been restored to the old 
province, and the inhabitants had submitted to his majesty, Cor- 
tes, fiutling there was nothing to be done at present, determined 
with the crown officers to mark all the slaves with the iron. 
. . . On the night preceding, the finest of the Indian fe- 
males had been secretly set apart, so that when it came to a 
division among the soldiers, we find none left but old and ugly 
women. ... A soldier asked Cortes if the division of gold 
in Mexico was not a sufficient imposition; and now he was 
going to deprive the poor soldiers, who had undergone so many 
hardships, and suffered from innumerable wounds, of this small 
renuuieration, and not even allow him a pretty Indian female 
for a companion. 

NOTE 5. 

"II Turco," {the Turk,) says Castafieda, the historian of 
Coronado's march, "was an Indian slave, a native of the coun- 
try on the side of Florida." Florida was that undefined coun- 
try which extended from Canada to the Hio del Norte, and 
inclnded the great basin of the Mississippi. The Turk told 
Coronado that in his country there was a river two leagues 
broad, and that it was beyond the province of Quivira. This 
was undoubtedly the Mississippi. The story he told to induce 
the Spaniard to leave the Pueblo country was a mixture of fact 
and fiction; and would impose on no one but the most credu- 
lous. It was this: "That in his country there was a river two 
leagues broad, in which were fish as large as horses; that there 
were canoes with twenty oarsmen on each side and which were 
also propelled by sails; that the lords of the land were seated 
in their sterns npon a dais, while a large golden eagle was af- 
fixed to the prows; that the sovereign of the land took his siesta 
beneatli a huge tree, to whose branches golden bells were bung, 
which were rung by the agitation of the sunnner breeze; that 
the commonest vessels were of sculptured silver, and that the 
bowls, plates and dishes were of gold." Coronado says he was 
told that the king of Quivira had a long beard, was hoary-headed 
and rich. In his report to Mendo(;a, on his return, he says: " The 



ITktoric Notes. 149 

tale thoy ( the j^niidcs) told me then, tliat Quivira was a city of 
extraordinary buildings and full of gold, was false. In induc- 
ing me to part with all my army to come to this country, tlie 
Indians tliought tliat the country being desert and without 
water they would conduct us into places wliere our horses and 
ourselves would die of hunger; that is wliat the guides con- 
fessed. They told that they liad acted by the advice of the 
natives of these countries." In all jirohability, "11 Turco" 
was neither a slave of tlie Pueblos nor an inhabitant of the 
Mississippi, but one of their wisest and bravest men. In him 
we witness the unconquerable spirit, that self abnegation and 
abandon, which is so prominent in the Indian chaiact<M-, and 
was so many times exhibited in their dealings with the Si)anish 
conquerers. This action of the Turk was neither new nor 
strange; it had often been enacted before. The false story he 
told, the crafty duplicity with which he entered into all tlie 
minutia; of the plot, the religious zeal with which it was un- 
dertaken, the masterly skill with which it was execut(!d, the 
frankness with which he avo\v(;d the object and cause of the 
decei)tion when the journey was completed, and tliat firmness 
and fearlessness with which he met death, portray one of the 
grandest attributes of the Indian diaracter. We see the same 
story told and the same acts performed in the wilds of Panama, 
when the cacique Uracca betrayed d'Avila; and in the ever- 
glades of Florida, when "Pedro" led De 8oto after the vain 
illusion of gold into Ijie pathless and almost impenetrable 
wilderness. 

NOTE 6. 
The place where the red pipe stone is found, or the pipe 
stone from which the pipe of peace is made, is now definitely 
located in the southwestern county of Minnesota. Tliis pipe 
stone was an article of commerce with the North American In- 
dians from time immemorial. It was held sacred by them, 
and the place where it was obtained was holy ground. Pipes 
of this stone have been found in graves which were made by 
men at a time contemporaneous with the extinct mastodon, 
(Smithsonian Ileport, 1882, pp. 690-713.) 



150 TliC Song of Kansas. 

Charles Ran, in his essay on "Ancient Aboriginal Trade in 
North America," says: "The celebrated red pipe stone, that 
highly-valued material, employed by the Indians of past and 
pi-eseut times in the manufacture of their calumets, occurs in 
situ on the Coteau de Prairies, an elevation extending between 
the Missouri and the headwaters of the Mississippi. This is the 
classical ground of the surrounding tribes, and many legends 
lend a romantic interest to that region. It was here that the 
Great Spirit assembled the various Indian nations and in- 
structed them in the art of making pi])es of peace, as related by 
Longfellow in his charming "Song of Hiawatha." Even hos- 
tile tribes met here in peace, for this district was by common 
consent regarded as neutral ground, where strife and feuds 
were suspended, that all might resort unmolested to the quarry 
and supply themselves with the nuich-prized stone. This 
material, though compact, is not hard, and therefore easily 
worked, and, moreover, capable of a high polish. It consists 
chiefly of silica and alumina, with an admixture of iron which 
produces the red color. American, and probably also European 
mineralogists, call this stone catlinite, in honor of the zealous 
ethnologist and painter, Catlin, who was first to give an accu- 
rate account of its place of occurrence, and to relate the tradi- 
tions connected with the red pipe stone quarry. This locality 
is the only one in North America where this peculiar stone is 
found, and it is doubtful indeed whether in any other place on 
both hemispheres a mineral siibstance is met which corresponds 
in every respect to the one in question." 

NOTE 7. 

"A wide and extensive commerce was carried on between the 
different nations of this continent, dating back into prehistoric 
times. We find in a single locality, at Naples, Illinois, "a 
shell from Florida, obsidian from Mexico, lead ore from Wis- 
consin or Missouri, copper from Lake Superior, and mica from 
the Alleghanies;" and this at a time so distant that all com- 
putation is out of the question. The Santa F^ trail may be 
ten thousand years old. Within historic times the Indians of 



r 



Historic Notes. 151 

New York have given battle to their foes on the banks of tlie 
Mississippi, and the tribes of Wisconsin have gone to war witli 
their ancient enemies at the foot of the Rocky Mountains in 
New Mexico, and returned home before the summer was over." 
(Charles Ran, Smithsonian Report, 1872.) 

NOTE 8. 

The Spanish historian Gomara describes the buffalo as seen 
by Coronado thus: "These oxen are of the color and bigness 
of our bulls, but their horns are not so great. They have a 
great bunch upon their fore shoulders, and more hair upon 
their fore part than on their hinder part, and it is like wool. 
They have, as it were, a horse mane upon their back bone, and 
much hair and very long from the knees downward. Tiiey 
have great tufts of hair hanging down from their foreheads, 
and it seemeth they have beards, because of the great store of 
hair hanging down at their chins and throats. The males have 
very long tails, and a great knob or flock at the end, so that 
in some respects they resemble lions, and in some others the 
camel. They push with their horns, they run, they overtake 
and kill a horse when they are in their rage and anger. 
Finally, it is a fierce beast of countenance and form of body. 
The horses fled from them, either because of their deformed 
shape, or else because they had never seen them. Their mas- 
ters have no other riches nor substance; of them they eat, they 
drink, they apparel, they shoe themselves; and of their hides 
they make many things, as houses, shoes, apparel and ropes; 
of their bones they make bodkins; of their sinews and hair, 
thread; of their horns, maws and bladders, vessels; of their 
dung, fire; of their calf skins, buckets, wherein they di-aw and 
keep water. To be short, they make so many things of them 
as they have need of, or as may suffice in the use of this life." 

As to the antiquity of the buffalo, we find him at home with 
the extinct mastodon of the age of the mound builders, in Da- 
kota and Wisconsin, and his teeth have been found in the drift 
of Maine. (Smithsonian Rep. 1871, p. 394; Lapham's Antiq. of 
Wis., and Amer. Naturalist, vol. 1, p. 268, note.) But it must 



^ 



152 The Song of Kanms. 

not be forafotten, in this connection, that Cabega was the first 
to describe the butfalo. 

NOTE 9. 
"The snides conducted the general to Quivira in forty-eight 
days, for they had travelled too much in tiie direction of Florida. 
At Quivira they found neither gold nor silver, and learning 
from the Tmk that he had, at the instance of the people of 
Cicuy^, purposely decoyed the army far into the plains, to kill 
the horses and thus make the men helpless and fall an easy 
prey to the natives, and that all he had said about the great 
quantity of Rilver and gold to be found there was false, they 
strangled hfni. ' (Castafieda's Relations — Ternaux Compans.) 

NOTE 10. 
This has reference to the Mandan Indians, a peculiar race, 
who at the time of Corouado's march must have inhabited the 
region of country at or near the red pipe stone quarries. ( See 
note (>, ante.) Hale, speaking of this race, says: "They had 
a decided superiority over any of the other western tribes in 
the arts of domestic life. Their pottery was quite convenient, 
and they relied without fear upon their crops of corn, squashes 
and pumpkins. They did not make war tniless attacked, but 
fortified their positions with skill and care. They presented an 
additional peculiarity in the frequent whiteness of their skin 
and light color of their hair. Many of them who are full- 
blooded have beautiful white complexions. The differences in 
the color of hair are as great as in complexions; for in a num- 
erous group of these people, and more particularly among the 
females, who never take pains to change its natural color as the 
men often do, there may be seen every shade of color of hair, 
with the exception of red or auburn, which is not to be found; 
and it is a strange peculiarity that there are very many natives 
of both sexes, and of every age, from infancy to manhood and old 
age, with hair of a bright silvery gray, and in some instances 
almost perfectly white." (Hale's "Kansas and Nebraska," 
pp. 30-40.) It was undoubtedly this Mandan race that Turco 
had iu his mind when he told Corouado that "the king of 



r 



Historic Notes. 153 

Quivira had long heard, was hoary-headed and ricli." He cer- 
tainly led Coronado in the direction of the habitation of tiie 
Mandan people. Mr. Catlin, who spent mtich time with them, 
believes they descended from the Madoc colony of Welch, and 
gives many cogent reasons therefor. (Hale's "Kansas and Ne- 
braska," pp. 31, 32.) They migrated at an early day, descended 
tlie Ohio river, and ascended the Missouri, and perished as a 
race near its head waters, witiiin the last thirty years. 

Robert Southey founded his poem "Madoc" on the stoiy of 
this Welcli colony, which came to America in the twelfth cen- 
tury, and whidi I give from Hakluyt's "Voyage," as follows: 
"Madoc, another of Owen Guinneth's sons, left the land in 
contention between his brethren, and prejiared certain shijis 
with men and amunition and sought adventures by sea, sailing 
west and leaving the coast of Ireland so far south that he came 
to land unknown, where he saw many strange things. Tliis 
land must needs be part of that country of which the Spaniards 
affirm themselves to be the first finders since Henna's time. • 
Of the voyage and return of Madoc there be many fables 
formed, as the common people do use in distance of place and 
length of time, rather to augment than diminish; hut sure it is 
Hint there he was. And after he had returned home and de- 
clared the pleasant and fruitful countries that he had seen 
without inliabitants, and on the contrary, part for what wild 
and barren ground his brothers and Jiephews did muillier one 
another, he prepared a number of ships, and got with him such 
men and women as were desirous to live in quietness, and tak- 
ing leave of his friends, took liis journey northward again. 
Therefore it is to be presupposed that he and his people inliab- 
iteU part of those countries. . . . But because this people 
were not many they followed the manners of the land and 
used the language they found there. This Madoc arriving in 
that western country, into which he came in the year 1170, left 
most of his people there and returning back for more of liis 
own nation, acquaintances and friends to inhabit that fair and 
large country, went thither again with ten sails, as I find noted 
by Gutyu Owen." Thus says Hakluyt, who wrote in the 



r 



154 The Song of Kansas. 

imw of Queon Elizabeth. That this coiiutry was visited bj- the 
inaritiine adventurers of Europe, Africa and Asia long before 
Columbus and long before the Christian era, there seems reason 
no longer to dispute. That the civilization of Central America, 
not as exhibited by the inhabitants at the time of the conquest, 
but as portrayed in its vast ruins, its obelisks, paintings, hier- 
oglyphic tablets and plinths, its- sepulchers, crosses, temples 
and emblems, points to a Phoenician origin, is rendered almost 
certain. ( Wilson's History of the Conqnest of Mexico.) If then 
this be true, the story of Madoc certainly comes within historic 
probability; and the physical and mental pecu^iarities of the 
Mandau ]>eople, as exhibited in their domestic and warlike 
habits, are thus easily accounted for. 



NOTE 11. 

That Coronado passed easterly through Kansas, is estab- 
lished beyond controversy. The problem is, to define the route 
traveled with probable certainty. This can only be done from 
what Coronado and his historians tell us. Coronado describes 
Quivira, in his report to the viceroy, Mendocja, as follows: 

"The province of Quivira is 930 leagues (3,340 miles) from 
(the city of) Mexico. The place I have reached is the fortieth 
degree of latitude. The earth is the best possible for all kinds 
of productions of Spain, for while it is very strong and black, 
it is very well watered by brooks, springs and rivers. I found 
prunes like those of Spain, some of which were black; also 
some excellent grapes and mulberries. I sojourned twentj-five 
days in the province of Quivira, as much to thoroughly exploie 
the country as to see if I could not find some further occasion 
to serve your majesty, for the guides whom I brought with me 
have spoken of provinces situated still further ou. That which 
I have been able to learn is, that in all this country one can find 
neither gold nor any other metal. They spoke to me of small 
villages, whose inhabitants for the most part do not cultivate 
the soil. They have huts of hides and willows, and change 
their places of abode with the vaches (buffaloes)." (Corouado's 



Historic Notes. 155 

RelatioQS — Ternaux Compaus; Smithsonian Report, 1869; 
p. 338, note.) 

Jaraniillo, a companion of the expedition, says: "This coun- 
try has a superb appearance, ami such that I have not seen 
belter in all Spain; neither in Italy nor France, nor in any 
other country where I have been in the service of your majesty. 
It is not a country of mountains; there are only some hills, 
some plains, and some streams of very fine water. It satisfied 
me completely. I presume that it is very fertile, and favorable 
for the cultivation of all kinds of fruits." 

And Castaneda, the historian of Quivira, says: "It is in this 
country that the Espiritu Sancto (Mississippi river), which 
Don Fernando de Soto discovered in Florida, takes its source." 
In this connection it must be remembered that "Florida" 
embraced the whole Mississippi basin, and that in Coronado's 
march he was led by the guides "too far in the direction of 
Florida." 

To determine the course of Coronado's march, its direction 
and distance, consult Simpson's Smithsonian Report, 1871. In 
this connection I quote the language of J. H. Simpson, Smith- 
sonian Report, 1869, page 337. After canvassing the whole 
matter, he says: "No; I am of the opinion that Coronado and 
his army marched just as Castaneda, Jaramillo and Coronado 
have reported; that is, generally in a northeast direction, over 
extensive plains, through countless herds of buffalo and prairie 
dog villages, and at length, after getting in a manner lost, and 
finding, as the chronicler says, they had gone "too far towards 
Florida," that is, to the eastward, and had traveled from Tig- 
uex for thirty-seven days, or a distance of between 700 and 800 
miles, their provisions failing them, the main body turned back 
to Tiguex, and Coronado with thirty-six picked men continued 
his explorations northwardly to the fortieth degree of latitude, 
where he reached a province which the Indians called Quivira." 
At what point in Kansas did Coronado send his army back? 
It can only be approximated. The army returned "by the 
arrow," that is, in nearly a straight line. They took some In- 
dian guides, called "Teyans," a nomadic nation, perhaps Kan- 



156 The Song of Kansas. 

sas Indians, " who knew the country perfectly well," and 
"every moruins: they watched to note where the sim rose, and 
directed their way by shooting an arrow in advance, and then 
before reaching this arrow they discharged another. In this 
way they marked the whole of their route to the spot where 
water was to be found and where they encamped." On this 
route they, passed through the salt marshes on the Canadian, 
and this is one point we fix: the other known point is about 
130 miles east of Pecos, on the Colorado, where Fort Bascom 
is now laid down on the map. To reach this point on the out- 
ward journey the army traveled, says the historian. "2.50 leagues, 
or 850 miles, from Tiguex, now Socorro. New Mexico. As the 
Indian guides took Coronado's anny into the wiklerness to kill 
it, they most probably followed the line indicated by Simpson, 
which would cover about 800 miles. From this point at which 
the army returned, Coronado took thirty hoi'semen and six foot 
soldiers, and in eleven days reached Quivira. On his route 
he crossed a large river, which they named St. Peter and 
St. Paul. After he had reached Quivira. the guides told him 
of a still larger river, the "Espiritu Sancto" (Mississippi), 
further on to the east. Quivira was therefore in northeastern 
Kansas. Corouado remained in Quivira twenty-five days, and 
on his return, says the historian, Castanedo: "Notwithstandiug 
he had good guides, and was not encumbered with baggage, 
Coronado was forty days in making the journey from Quivira." 
This was at least 1.000 miles from Socorro. In fact, there is 
no testimony to show a less number of miles traveled than is 
here indicated. 

>'OTE 12. 

"The blue-eyed maid Tritonian Pallas, fierce. 
Rousing the war field's tumult, unsubdued, 
Leader of armies, awful, whose delight 
The shout of battle and the shock of war." 

— Hisiod. 
NOTE 13. 
The advent of Columbia, the genius of American civiliza- 
tion, the goddess who is supposed to preside over the destinies 



Historic Notes. 157 

of our Republic, has not heretofore been honored with a gene- 
alogy, nor has her advent been sung. The author has followed 
Ilesiod for her maternal ancestry, and has connected her with 
the Grecian hierarchy. (See llesiod's Theogony.) 

NOTE 14. 
"Kansas the name; child of the wind." Andreas, in his 
History of Kansas, says: "Kansas means smoky, in the lan- 
guage of the tribe." He copied from writers Holloway and 
others, who must have known little or nothing of the history or 
language of these Indians, or cognate tribes. Perhaps the 
best authority in the world in regard to the meaning of the 
word Kansas is the Eev. J. Owen Dorsey, of the bureau of 
ethnology in the Smithsonian Institution, at Washington, He is 
certainly very high authority, from his long association with and 
his extensive studies in the language and history of the Siouau 
tribes. He says: "While the exact meaning of Kansas is 
unknown to me, 1 am sure it does not mean 'smoky, in the 
language of the tribe.' That would be cudjuju^, filled with 
smoke; or else, cudje ^gu, smoke-like. . . . The old spell- 
ing of Long and others, Konza, is nearer to the original name 
than is our Kansas. It ( Konza) is almost the pronunciation of 
Kan-ze, the tribal name. Omaha and Quapaw are names of 
comparatively modern origin, having been given when the 
people separated at the mouth of the Ohio river. They are 
correlatives (up-stream people and down-stream people) — geo- 
graphical names. But Kan-ze, Pauka and Waga^e (or Kansas), 
Ponka and Osage are very ancient names, whose true meanings 
are not revealed outside of the secret society of the tribes. 
These are mythical or sacred names. Ponka is associated with 
the red cedar, and Kansas with the wind. . . . The Omaha 
>lan-ze gens (or clan) has wind names for its males and females. 
The corresponding Kansas gens is the Kan-ze, part of whom are 
wind people, or south-wind people. The corresponding Osage 
gens has several names, Kau-se, etc., meaning south-wind peo- 
ple." ( Letter to author, dated July 20, 1886.) The same writer, 
under date of August 12, 1S86, says: "I maintain the following: 



158 The Song of Kansas. 

1. Kansas does not mean, nor has it meant, in the language of 
the Kansas or Kaw tribe, nor in that of any cognate tribe, as 
far as I have ascertained, smoky. 2. Kansas, in one form or 
another, is at present — and this must have been the case for 
hundreds of years — applied in the Omaha, Kansas and Osage 
tribes to gentes or parts of which are said to be wind people. 
3. Kan-se, Kan-ze, >lan-ze should not be confounded with An- 
sage, K'an-sage, etc. (swift). The nile is, that difference of 
sound makes difference of meaning." 

NOTE 15. 
On the 30th of May, 1854, President Pierce signed the 
Kansas-Nebraska bill. 

NOTE 16. 
The doctrine or principle upon which the Southern Con- 
fedei'acy was founded, at the time of secession, is, that slavery 
is rigid; that it is a great physical, philosophical and moral 
truth, and especially the natural and normal condition of the 
negro. Shortly after the government of the Confederate States 
of America was organized, its vice president, A. H. Stevens, in 
a speech at Savannah, said: "The new constitution has put to 
rest forever all the agitating questions relating to our peculiar 
institutions — African slavery as it exists among us — the proper 
status of the negro in our form of civilization. This was the 
innnediate cause of the late rupture and present revolution. 
Jefferson, in his forecast, had anticipated this as the rock upon 
which the old Union would split. . . . The prevailing ideas 
entertained by him aud most of the leading statesmen, at the 
time of the formation of the old constitution were, that the eu- 
slavement of the African was in violation of the laws of na- 
ture; that it was wrong in principle, socially, morally and 
politically. Our new government is founded upon exactly the 
opposite idea; its foiuulatious are laid. Its corner stone rests, 
upon the great truth, that the negro is not equal to the white 
man; that slavery, subordination to the superior race, is his 
natural and normal condition. This, our new government, is 



Historic Notes. 159 

the first in the world based upon this great physical, philo- 
sophical and moral truth." (Am. Cy., 1861, p. 128.) 

Judge Jeremiah S. Black, the eminent jurist, says: "My faith 
and my reason both assure me that the infallible God proceeded 
on good grounds when he authorized slavery in Judea." (N. A. 
Review, August, 1881.) 

I quote the above to show at this time what the younger 
generation has perhaps overlooked in its study of the civil war. 
The above doctrine of Alexander H. Stevens was the full-fledged 
political faith of the Southrons who invaded Kansas in 1854-6. 
But this great '■'■moral truth'" of the South could not long en- 
dure under the civilization of the nineteenth century. 

Abraham Lincoln, in his Cooper Institute speech, February 
27, 1860, speaking of the demands of the South, said: "Hold- 
ing, as they do, that slavery is morally right and socially ele- 
vating, they cannot cease to demand a full national recognition 
of it as a legal right and a social blessing. Nor can we justi- 
fiably withhold this on any ground save our conviction that 
slavery is wrong. If slavery is right, all words, acts, laws and 
constitutions against it are themselves wrong, and should be 
silenced and swept away. If it is right, we cannot justly ob- 
ject to Its nationality, its universality; if it is wrong, they can- 
not justly insist upon its extension, its enlargement. All they 
ask we could readily grant, if we thought slavery right; all we 
ask they could readily grant, if they thought it wrong. Their 
thinking it right, and our thinking it wrong, is the precise fact 
upon which depends the whole controversy." 

This controversy was at last ended by the civil war, and the 
"precise fact" whether slavery was right or wrong was decided 
at the point of the bayonet under the flag of the Union. In 
this connection we may remark of Truth, in passing, that 
"the eternal years of God are hers." 

NOTE 17. 
As soon as the Kansas-Nebraska act was signed and made 
known, the inhabitants of Missouri took possession of Kansas, 
and determined to make slavery the corner stone of her polit- 



^ 



160 The Song of Kansas. 

ieal edifice. To tliis eud they came into Leavenworth county, 
passed the following resolutions, and returned to their homes: 
"That we will afford protection to no Abolitionist as a settler 
of this. Territory. That we recognize the institution of slavery 
as already existing in this Territory, and advise slaveholders 
to introduce their property as early as possible." (Kansas Af- 
fairs, p. 2.) These resolutions certainly foreshadowed the Dred- 
Scott decision, and preceded it three years. 

In this connection Dr. Gihou, secretary to Governor Geary, 
says: "It ( slavery) resolved, as a matter of safety and interest, 
not only to disperse those (Free-ytate immigrants) who had al- 
ready entered the Territory, but to prevent, if possible, the ad- 
mission of all others of similar character. To this end meetings 
were held in various parts of the Territory and in the border 
towns of Missouri, at which speeches were made and resolu- 
tions adopted of the most incendiary and inflammatory de- 
scription. At one of these meetings, held at Westport, Mo., in 
July, 1854, an association was formed, and adopted the follow- 
ing resolutions: 

" ^Resolved, That this association will, whenever called upon 
by any of the citizens of Kansas Territory, hold itself in readi- 
ness together to assist to remove any and all emigrants who go 
there under the auspices of the Northern Emigrant Aid Society. 

" '■Resolccd, That we recommend to the citizens of other coun- 
ties, particularly those bordering on the Kansas territory, to 
adopt regulations similar to those of this association, and to in- 
dicate their readiness to operate in the objects of this resoki- 
tiou.'" (Gihon's History of Kansas, p. 29.) 

NOTE 18. 
"Ruffian" was a word applied by the ruffian to himself. 
"Let it not be understood that this term 'Border Ruffian' is 
considered by those to whom it is applied as one of reproach. 
On the contrary, they boast of It, are proud of it, and do all in 
their power to merit it, and very many of them have been emi- 
nently successful. In their manners they assume the character 
of the ruffian, in their dress they exhibit the appearance of the 
ruffian, and in their conversation they hibor to convey the in- 
ference that they are indeed ruffians. 



J 



Historic Notes. 1(31 

"On the levee at Kansas City stood a sort of onniibiis, or 
wagon, used to convey passengers to and from Westport, upon 
either side of which was painted, in flaming capitals, the words, 
'BoKDEB Ruffian.' 

"Imagine a man standing, in long boots covered with dust 
and mud, drawn over his trousers, the latter made of coarse, 
fancy-colored cloth, well soiled; the handle of a large bowie 
knife projecting from one or both boot tops; a leathern belt 
buckled around his waist, on each side of which is fastened a 
large revolver; a red or blue shirt, with a heart, anchor, eagle, 
or some other favorite device, braided on the breast and back, 
over which is swung a rifle or carbine, a sword dangling by his 
side; an old slouched hat, with a cockade or brass star on the 
front or side, and a chicken, goose or turkey feather sticking 
in the top; hair, uncut and uncombed, covering his neck and 
shoulders; an unshaved face and unwashed hands — imagine 
such a specimen of humanity, who can swear any given num- 
ber of oaths in any specified time; drink any quantity of bad 
whisky without getting drunk, and boast of having stolen a 
half dozen horses, and killed one or more Abolitionists, and you 
will have a pretty fair conception of a border ruflian as he ap- 
pears in Missouri and in Kansas." (Gihon, pp. 106, 107.) 

NOTE 19. 

The committee appointed by the lower house of Congress to 
investigate the Kansas affairs, in 18.55-.56, on which committee 
was John Sherman, of Ohio, speaking of the secret organiza- 
tions to establish slavery in Kansas, say: "It was known by 
different names, such as 'Social Band,' 'Friends' Society,' 
'Blue Lodge,' 'The Sons of the South.' Its members were 
bound together by secret oaths, and they had passwords, signs 
and grips by which they were known to each other, it em- 
braced great numbers of citizens of Missouri, and was ex- 
tended into the slave States and into the Territory. Its avowed 
purpose was not only to extend slavery into Kansas, but also 
into other territory of the United States, and to form a union 

ot all the friends of the institution. Its plan of operating 
—11 



1G2 The Song of Kansas. 

was to organize and send men to vote at the elections in the 
Territory, to collect money to pay their expenses, and, if neces- 
sary, to protect them in voting. This dangerous society was 
controlled by men who avowed their purpose to extend slavery 
into the Territory at all hazards, and was altogether the most 
effective insLruuieiit in organizing the subse(iuent armed inva- 
sions and forays. In its lodges in Missouri the affairs of Kan- 
sas were discussed; the force necessary to control the elections 
was divided into bands, and leaders selected; means were col- 
lected and signs and badges were agreed upon." (Kansas Af- 
fairs, p. 3.) November !(>, 1854, the St. I^ouis Democrat says; 
"Senator Atchison is at present engaged in the upper country 
banding a secret society of five thousand persons. These, ac- 
cording to rumor, are pledged to move into Kansas on the day 
of the first election to vote slavery into that Territory." (Wild- 
er's Annals.) 

KOTE 20. 
At the election held March 30, 18.5.5, for members of the first 
territorial Legislature, the Missourians came over in hordes, and 
took control of nearly all the election precincts. The report 
on Kansas affairs says: "They said if the judges appointed by 
the Governor did not receive their votes they would choose 
other judges. Some of them voted several times, changing 
their hats or coats and coming up to the window again. Some 
of them claimed a right to vote under the organic act, from the 
fact that their mere presence in the Territory constituted tliem 
residents, though they were from Missouri and had their homes 
in Missouri. Others said they had a right to vote because 
Kansas belonged to Missouri, and the people from the East had 
no right to settle in the Territory and vote there. They said 
they came to the Territory to elect a Legislature to suit them- 
selves, as the people of the Territory and persons from the East 
and North wanted to elect a Legislature that would not suit 
them. Col. Young said he wanted citizens to vote in order to 
give the election some show of fairness. The Missourians said 
there would be no difticulty if the citizens did not interfere 
with their voting; but they were determined to vote; peaceably 



IRstoriG Notes. 1G3 

if they could, but vote anj-how. Tliey said each one of tliem 
was prepared for eigiit rounds witliout loading, and would go 
to the ninth round with the butcher knife." (Kansas Affairs, 
p. 12.) The Legislature was elected iu this clandestine manner 
which gave Kansas the '■^ Bogus Lairs" of 1855. This consum- 
mation brought on the Kansas war, which at last ended iu the 
triumph of freedom. 

NOTE 21. 

An eminent author and lady of Kansas writes as follows: 
"The following from the Leavenworth Herald will suffice 
to show the character of the leaders of the Pro-Slavery jiarty 
and their institution, regarding tlie manner in which Kansas 
was to be made a slave State. The plan of operation was laid 
down in an address to a crowd at St. Joseph, Mo., by String- 
fellow: 'I tell you to mark every scoundrel among you that is 
the least tainted with free-soilism or abolitionism, and ex- 
terminate him. Neither give nor take quarter from the d — d 
rascals. To those having qualms of conscience as to violating 
laws, State or National, the time has come when such imposi- 
tions must be disregarded, as your lives and property are in 
danger; and I advise you, one and all, to enter every election 
district in Kansas, in defiance of Reeder and his vile myr- 
midons, and vote at the point of the bowie knife and revolver. 
What right has Governor Reeder to rule IMissourians in Kan- 
sas? His proclamation and prescribed oath must be disre- 
garded. It Is your interest to do so. Mind that slavery is 
established where it is not prohibited.'" (Mrs. Robinson's 
"Kansas," pp. 14-16.) 

This, again, is the doctrine of the Dred-Scott decision, and 
preceded it more than a year. Chief Justice Taney was at this 
time seventy-eight years old, and was enjoying a ripe old 
dotage. Doubtless Stringfellow's speech was taken by him to 
be good law. 

"July 20, 1854, a meeting in western Missouri resolves to 
remove any and all emigrants who go to Kansas under the 
auspices of the Northern emigrant aid societies." 



1G4 The Song of Kansas. 

"October 4, 1854, E. D. Lacld writes to the Milwaukee Sen- 
tinel tliat witliiu a few days tiie Missourians have taken down 
and moved the tents of our squatters, and burned the cabins 
while the owners were absent at work." ( Wilder's Annals.) 

NOTE 22. 

At a public indignation meeting held in Leavenworth May 
3d, 1855, it was, among other things — 

'■'■Resolved, To the peculiar friends of northern /awa^u-s we 
say, this is not your country; go home and vent your treason 
where you will find your sympathy. 

'■'■ Resolved, That we invite the inhabitants of every State, 
north, south, east and west, to come among us and cultivate 
the beautiful prairie lauds of our Territory, but leave behind 
you the fanaticism of the hiffher law and all kindred doctrines. 
Come only to maintain the laws as tliey exist, and not preacli 
your higher duties of setting them at naught; for we warn you 
in advance that our institutions are sacred to us and must and 
shall be respected. 

'■'Resolved, That the institution of slavery is known and rec- 
ognized in this Territory; that we repel the doctrine that it is a 
moral and political evil, and we hurl back with scorn upon its 
slanderous authors tlie charge of inhumanity; and we warn all 
persons not to come to our own peaceful firesides to slatuler us 
and sow seeds of discord between the master and the servant; 
for much as we may deprecate the necessity to which we may 
be driven, we cannot be responsible for the consequences. 

^'Resolved, That a vigilance committee consisting of thirty 
members shall now be appointed, who shall observe and report 
all such persons as shall openly act in violation of leac and 
order, and by the expression of abolition sentiments produce 
disturbance to the quiet of the citizens or danger of their do- 
mestic relations; and all such persons so offending shall he noti- 
fied and made to leave the Territory.'' (Kansas Affairs, pp. 9(37, 
968. 

The following is a duplicate of the notice served on "William 
Phillips, a lawyer of Leavenworth city, a few days prior to the 
above meeting, pursuant to resolutions adopted: 

Leavenworth City, April 30, 1855. 

Sir — At a meeting of the citizens of Leavenworth and vi- 
cinity, we, the undersigned, were appointed a committee to 
inform you that they have unanimously determined that you 



Historic J^otes. 1C5 

must leave this Territory by two o'clock of Thursday next. 
Take due notice tliereuf, and act accordhigly. 

To William I'iiili.ips." [Signed by ten.] 

(Kansas Affairs, p. 9G6.) 

NOTE 23. 

Tlie Squatter Sovereign, publisiied at Atchison, by Dr. John 
n. Stringfellow, says: "We can tell the impertinent scoundrels 
of the Tribune that they may exliaust an ocean of ink, their 
emigrant aid societies spend their millions and billions, their 
representatives in congress spout tlieir heretical theories till 
doomsday, and his excellency, Franklin Pierce, appoint Aboli- 
tionist after Free-Soiler as our Governor, yet we will continve to 
lynch and Jiang, to tar and feather and di"Own, every white- 
livered Abolitionist who dares to pollute our soil." 

Hon. S. N. AVood, who had moved into Kansas as early as 
July 4, 1854, gives us the definition of a "white-livered Aboli- 
tionist," in the language of the Missouri squatter. He says: 
"The Pro-Slavery men from Missouri had met in Kansas, and 
adopted a code of squatter laws, and the whole Territory seemed 
staked into claims. They had a register of claims, with an 
office at Westport, Mo. One law of this remarkable code pro- 
vided that Nebraska was for the North and Kansas for the 
South. One provision was, that every white-livered Aboli- 
tionist who dared to set foot in Kansas should be hung, and 
that there might be no mistake, they added: 'Every man north 
of Mason's and Dixon's line is an Abolitionist.'" (Quarter- 
Centennial Address.) 

NOTE 24. 

The following was adopted at a meeting held in Clay county, 
Missouri, in May, 18.55: 

"That we regard the efforts of the northern division of the 
Methodist Episcopal Church to establish itself in our State as a 
violation of her plighted faith, and pledged, as its ministers 
must be, to the anti-slavery principles of that church, we are 
forced to regard them as enemies to our institutions. We 



166 The Song of Kansas. 

therefore fully ooneiir with our friends in Platte county in re- 
solving to permit no persons belonging to the Northern Metho- 
dist Church to preach in our county." (CJihon, p. 36.) 

KOTE 25. 

The following is the Squatter Sovereign's relation of this 
affair. It occurred August IG, 185.5: 

"On Thursday last one Pardee Butler arrived in town, with 
a view of starting for the pjast, probably for the purpose of get- 
ting a fresh supply of Free-Soilers from the penitentiaries and 
pest holes of the Northern States. Finding it inconvenient to 
depart before morning, he took lodging at the hotel, and pro- 
ceeded to visit numerous portions of our town, everywhere 
avowing himself a Free-Soiler, and preaching the foulest of 
abolition heresies. He declared the recent action of our citi- 
zens in regard to J. W. B. Kelly, [who was beaten by a mob, 
and driven from Atchison,] the infamous and unlawful pro- 
ceedings of a mob, at the same time stating that many persons 
in Atchison who were Free-Soilers at heart had been intimi- 
dated thereby, and feared to avow their true sentiments, but 
that he would express his views in defiance of the whole com- 
munity. 

"On the ensuing morning our townsmen assembled en masse, 
and deeming the presence of such persons highly detrimental to 
the safety of our slave property, appointed a committee of two 
to wait on Mr. Butler, and recjuest his signature to the resolu- 
tions passed at the late Pro-Slavery meeting held in Atchison. 
After perusing the said resolutions, Mr. B. positively declined 
signing them, and was instantly arrested by the committee. 

"After the various plans for his disposal liad been con- 
sidered, it was finally decided to place him on a raft, composed 
of two logs firmly lashed together; that his baggage and a loaf 
of bread be given him; and having attached a flag to his 
primitive bark, emblazoned with mottoes indicative of our con- 
tempt of such characters, Mr. Butler was set adrift in the great 
Missouri, with the letter "R" legibly painted on his forehead. 
He was escorted some distance down the river by several of our 



V_ 



ITktoi'lc Notes. 107 

oitizciis, who, spciiif; liim pass several rook licaps in {\\\\W a 
skillful manner, bade him adieu, and returned fo Atciiison. 

"iSuch treatment may be expected by all scoundrels visiting 
our town for the purpose of interfering? with our time-honored 
institutions, and the same punisliment we will be happy to 
award all Frec-Soilers, Abolitionists, and their emissaries." 

]Jiitler states that llobert S. Kelley, the junior editor of the 
Sfjuntter Sovereif/n, was one of the most active menilufrsof the; 
mob; that he conunitted this disf^raccful act, and that he as- 
sisted to tow the raft out into tin; stream, wh(;re he was set 
adrift, with flags having the following strange inscriptions: 
"Eastern Emigrant Aid Express — the Rev. Mr. Butler for the 
Underground Railroad;" "The Way They Are Served in Kan- 
sas;" "For Boston;" "Cargo Insured, Unavoidable DangcM- of 
the Missourians and the Missouri River Excepted;" "Let Fu- 
ture Emissaries from the North Beware — Our Hemp Crop is 
Sufficient to lieward All Such Scoundrels." 

Mr. Butl(!r also states: "They threatened to shoot me if 1 
inilled my flag down. I pulled it down, cut the flag off the 
flagstaff, made a paddle of the flagstaff, and ultimately got 
ashore about six miles below. They all admitted when we 
w5re together tliat 1 was not an Abolitionist, but a Free-Soiler. 
By Free-Soiler 1 mean one in favor of making Kansas a free 
State." (Kansas Affairs, p. 963.) 

NOTE 20. 

"On the 21st day of November, 18.55, F. M. Coleman, a Pro- 
Slavery man, and Charles W. Dow, a Free-State man, had a dis- 
pute about the division line between their respective claims. 
Several hours afterward, as Dow was passing from a blacksmith 
shop towards his claim and by the cabin of Coleman, the latter 
shot Dow with a double-barrel sliot gun, loaded with slugs. 
Dow was unarmed. lie fell across the road and died imme- 
diately. This was about one o'clock, and his dead body was 
allowed to lie where it fell till after sundown." (Kansas Af- 
fairs, p. 59.) 

This was the immediate cause of the Wakarusa war. ( See 
note 32.) 



168 The Song of Kaiisas. 

NOTE 27. 

Among those ordered to leave the Territory was Mr. Win. 
PhiUips, a lawyer, of Leavenworth, who had signed a protest 
against the election of March 30, in that city. (For protest, 
see Kansas Atfairs, p. 503.) Upon his refusal to go. he was, 
on the 17th of May, 1855, seized by a band of men, chiefly from 
Missouri, who carried him eight miles up the river to Weston, 
where tlu^y shaved one-half of his head, tarred and feathered 
him, rode him on a rail and sold him at a mock auction by 
a negro, and bid in by another negro for one dollar, all of 
which he bore with manly fortitude and bravery, and then re- 
turned to Leavenworth and persisted in remaining, notwith- 
standing his life was constantly threatened and in danger. He 
was subsequently murdered at his own house by a company of 
"law and order" men, or Territorial militia, under the com- 
mand of Capt. Frederick S. Emery, simply for refusng to leave 
the town. On the 25th of May, 1855, R. R. Reese, (who had 
been elected by Missouri votes to the Territorial council,) pre- 
sided at a meeting which adopted the following resolutions 
imanimously: 

'■'■Resolved, That we heartily endorse the action of the com- 
mittee of citizens that shaved, tarred and feathered, rode oft a 
rail and sold by a negro William Phillips, the moral perjurer. 

'■'■ReMleed, That we return our thanks to the committee for 
faithfully performing the trust enjoined upon them by the Pro- 
Slavery i>arty. 

^'Rexoleed, That in order to secure peace and harmony to 
the counuunity, we now solemnly declare, that the Pro-Slavery 
party will stand Ihinly by and carry out the resolutions re- 
ported by the coniuiitlee appointed for that purpose on the 
memorable SOtli." 

(See these resolutions, note2ri;Gihon, p. 35; Kansas Affairs, 
pp. 9(J3, 965, 970, 1026.) 

Judge Lecompte eloquently addressed the above meeting. 

NOTE 28. 
"On the afternoon of December 6, 1855, three men, Thomas 
W. Barber, Robert F. Barber and Thomas M. Pierson, left Law- 
rence to proceed to their homes, about seven miles distant (west 



Historic Notes. 169 

of Lawrence). Tliey had progressed nearly four miles when 
they saw a party of from twelve to fifteen horsemen traveling 
the road leading from Lecompton to the Wakarusa camp. 
These were Pro-Slavery men, and among tliem were Gen. Uich- 
ardson, commander of the Kansas militia; Judge S. G. Cato, of 
the Supreme Court of the Territory; John P. Wood, Probate 
Judge and Police Magistrate of Douglas county; Col. J. N. 
Burns, a Lawyer, of Weston, Mo., and Maj. Geo. W. Clarke, U. 
S. agent for the Pottawatomie Indians. 

"The Barbers, who were brothers, and Pierson, their brother- 
in-law, had just left the main road and taken a nearer i)ath to 
the left. Upon perceiving this movement, Clarke and Burns 
put spurs to liieir horses and dashed across the prairie with the 
obvious intention to intercept them. The Barbers thereupon 
slackened their pace, when Clarke, getting within speaking dis- 
tance, ordered them to halt, a summons which they imme- 
diately obeyed. Richardson, Cato and the remainder of Clarke's 
party continued in full sight and at but a short distance. Clarke, 
who Is a thick set man, about five feet three inches high, ex- 
ceedingly loquacious and consequential in his manners, and 
notorious for his violent opposition to the Free-State people, 
commenced interrogating the Barbers, demanding to know who 
they were, where they were from and where they were going, 
to all of which questions Thomas W. Barber made mild and 
truthful replies. Clarke then ordered them to turn their horses 
heads and go with him and Burns, wliicli demand Barber re- 
fused; whereupon Clarke drew his pistol, and taking deliberate 
aim, fired at Thomas W. Barber (the ball entering his abdo- 
men). Burns discharging his pistol at almost the same instant. 
Robert F. Barber then returned the shot, firing three times in 
rapid succession, without any effect. Pierson had with him a 
small revolver, but could not get it out. Thomas W. Barber 
was without arms of any description. The parties then sepa- 
rated, taking opposite directions and galloping their hoi'ses. 
They had proceeded but a short distance when Thomas W. 
Barber remarked to his brother, with a smile, 'That fellow has 
shot me,' and placed his hand against his side. Robert, per- 



170 The Song of Kansas. 

ceiviiig that he had diopjied the reins aud was riding unstead- 
ily, hastened to his assistance and attempted to support him, 
but in a little while he slipped from his saddle and fell to the 
ground. His brother aud Pierson immediately dismounted, but 
Thomas was dead. 

"Clarke boastingly declared, when he entered tlie Waka- 
rusa camp, 'I have sent another d — d Abolitionist to hell.'" 
(Gihon, p. C5; Kansas Affairs, pp. 1121-1128.) 

Brewerton, a regular correspondent of tlie New York //<t- 
flfM, says : "There are circumstances connected with the life 
and character of this man Barber which make his death more 
particularly to be deplored. Barber is spoken of as a quiet, 
unoffensive and amiable man, domestic aud unexceptionable in 
his habits and deeply attached to his wife, to whom he had 
been married between nine and ten years. lie was unarmed 
when he received the death wound, and on his way to his home. 
His wife, to whom he had written to inform her of his coming, 
was expecting him. She is said to have loved her husband 
with more than ordinary devotion. It was her habit when she 
saw him coming back from his work to leave the house aud go 
forth to meet him on his way. If he failed to return at the 
time indicated she grew anxious, and if his stay was prolonged 
oftentimes passetl the night in tears. When ill, she would 
hang over his bed with all the anxiety of a mother for her 
child. She would seem, too, to have had a presentiment of 
some impending evil; for after exhausting every argument to 
prevent her husband from going to join the Free-State forces, 
at Ijawren<'e, she said: 'Oh ! Thomas, if you should be shot, I 
should be all alone, indeed; remember, I have no child, nothing 
in the wide world to fill your place.' Aud this was their last 
parting. And when the tidings of his death came she burst 
forth: 'They have left me a poor, forsaken creature, to mourn 
all my days. Oh my husband ! they have taken from me all 
that 1 hold dear; one that I loved better than I loved my own 
life.'" (War in Kansas, p. 330.) 

The following is from the pen of Hannah Anderson Koi)es, 
takeu from one of a series of letters written from Lawrence to 



r 



Historic Notes. 171 

her mother in the East, In 1854-5. She is one of the most 
ciiarmiiig of Kansas writers, and in emotional literatine lias 
ftf\v equals in the world. She says: "I believe I have forgot- 
ten to tell j^ou that the funeral of Mr. Barber was deferred on 
account of the important business this week to be attended to. 
Another week has closed, and the Sabbath calls' all peojtle out 
to pay the last tribute of respect to poor Barber's memory. A 
December day, but clear, cloudless, dreadfully bright and 
windy, . . . yet the whole neighborhood seems astir with 
people picking their way to one center — the hotel — where not 
as last Monday evening for rejoicing they came together, but 
to mourn with the suffei'ers of a great sorrow: a widow made 
so by violence wholly unprovoked; a brother bereaved in a 
manner never to be forgotten, never to be thought of in years 
to come but with the smartest twinges of pain. The room we 
enter is a long dining hall. The walls are of limestone, rough 
and unplastered. Seats of plank stretch in rows closely packed 
through the whole length, with the exception of a narrow space 
for the clergyman. The seats are all filled. The atmosphere 
of the assembly is of the truest sympathy. Each soul seems 
personally aggrieved and afflicted. Silence is the only and 
most emphatic expression given to this grief. The first break 
upon that silence is the tread of many feet, and a smothered, 
broken sob that will not be wholly choked down. Working 
his way through the crowd appears a tall man with white hair, 
large blue eyes, and a very benevolent countenance. You see 
at once that he is a Methodist. He has clinging to his arm a 
small veiled figure. Every one knows 'tis a widow, 'a widow 
indeed!' Then comes another sob, as she is borne along to 
the far end of the hall. The man of white hair stoops over her 
tenderly and whispers words of peace to her. I do not hear 
them; she does not. Now she sinks into a seat. A hymn is 
read and the crowd sing the tune 'Martin Luther,' so familiar 
to everybody, and stretching back over the whole length of the 
oldest life present. What a relief it is ! How it gathers up 
and rolls away the pent-up emotions of the nniltitude I Now 
the white head sinks dovra over bended knees to the floor, and 



172 The Song of Kansas. 

his voice utters its prayers aud supplications, wiiile the tears 
course down the cheeks of the speaker and his audience. The 
sobs of the broken heart grow fainter. Does she find a relief 
through the channels of other hearts? I believe so. Then 
follow short speeches from Col. Lane and Gen. Robinson, and 
a sad sermon from the white head. All the exercises are re- 
markably good of the kind. . . . 

"The services are over and the people form a procession; 
men, with arms reversed, take the lead; then the body aud its 
friends; then the whole crowd, mounted in carts drawn by 
oxen, wagons led by mules, and carriages of every pattern 
fonn into a solid line stretching far along the open country. 
Up over Mount Pleasant curves the road to the ground appro- 
priated for a burial place, two miles away. What a sight it is ! 
One like it could hardly be got up anywhere else, or under any 
other circumstances. This grand old country, venerable with 
its lofty trees, its smoothly-terraced hills, its serene repose, 
where the moccasin has only trod as at home and crept away 
in by places to take the sleep of d a 'i ! The tread of the white 
man is fresh and new, but to-day the grand old prairie wit- 
nesses the burial of its second martyr! Now the soldiers 
make a wall on either side, with lifted hats, for the mourners 
to pass through. Gently the coffin is lowered to its last rest, 
while the words: 'Dust to dust,' 'I am the resurrection and the 
life,' are broken by the wailiug wind aud lost to the ears of the 
audience by the fast-coming sobs of that forlorn, childless, earth- 
stricken widow ! The soldiers now approach; the audience aud 
friends fall back, giving place to them while standing about 
the grave. At the signal of their commander, Uncle Jeff, one 
division after another bury the contents of their rifles in the 
last resting place of their much beloved aud honored comrade." 
(Six Months in Kansas, pp. 146, 149.) 

"Lay him down in hope and faith, 
Aud above the broken sod 
Once again to Freedom's God 
Pledge yourself for life or death. 



Historic Notes. 173 

That the State whose walls ye lay 
In your blood and tears to-day 

Shall be free from bonds of shame, 
And your goodly land uutrod 
By the feet of slavery, shod 

With cursing and with flame." — Whittier. 

NOTE 89. 

Andrew H. Keeder, the first Governor of Kansas, was a res- 
ident of Eastou, Pennsylvania. He was appointed to this high 
office by President Pierce, because of his eminent qualifications 
and his great iufiueuce in the Democratic party. He received 
his appointment in June, 1854, but did not arrive in Kansas 
until October. This, the first office he had ever accepted, was 
without his own solicitation; he was therefoi-e prepared to exe- 
cute the high trust, in justice and fairness to the settlers, in 
accordance to law and the principles of the Democratic party as 
he understood them. He came to Kansas a Douglas Democrat, 
and in less than a year was removed from office, because he 
dared to do right. The crimes and frauds which he saw com- 
mitted on Kansas soil by the Pro-Slavery party so highly in- 
censed him that he forever quit its ranks, and in May, 185G, he 
escaped from the Territory a Ptcpublican. When the civil war 
came on he and Nathaniel Lyon were the two first brigadier 
generals of the regular army appointed by Abrah m Lincoln. 
Keeder did not accept; his three sous, however, enlisted in the 
Union army. He died July 5th, 1864, at his home. I now 
give a brief accoimt of his escape from Kansas: 

On the seventh day of May, 1856, while he was examining 
witnesses at Tecumseh, before the Congressional committee on 
Kansas atfairs, James F. Legate, who was a member of the 
grand jury, came and informed him that a plan to paralyze the 
Free-State party had been laid and was about to be carried out, 
by indicting all the officers of the provisional State govern- 
ment and judges of the election. A number of indictments 
had already been found, but as yet not passed. The grand jury 
at Lecompton, having been charged by Chief Justice Lecompte 



174 The Song of Kansas. 

that the above officers were indictable, they voted by a large 
majority of the sixteen present, and without any testimony at 
all, to find true bills against Governor Robinson and Andrew 
H. Reeder for treason. The plotters of this crime knowing 
that on a wan-ant for treason they would not go to Leconipton, 
the court tried the strategy of a subpoena, but Reeder, seeing 
that it was irregular in form, disobeyed. On tlie eighth, the 
conunittee went to Lawrence to take testimony, when at about 
3 o'clock r. M. a Mr. Fain, fresh from Georgia, who was acting 
as deputy marshal, came into the room of the committee with 
his posse, all armed, and served an attachment on Governor 
Reeder; whereupon Reeder put himself on his privilege, and 
asked that the committee protect him in it. This they refused 
to do, but Howard and Sherman clearly and decidedly gave 
their opinion that he was privileged from any such process for 
his arrest; Oliver holding the contrary. Reeder then stood 
upon his own defense and refused to obey, telling the deputy 
marshal that if he tried to arrest him, it would be at his peril. 
The posse then left. 

Reeder then wrote to Governor Shannon and Judge Le- 
compte, stating that if they would give him their guaranty of 
pers(mal safety and immediate return to the committee, he 
would go to Tjecompton and testify. The next day Lecompte 
returned word that he had no answer to give. 

Mr. Howard, the chairman of the Congressional committee, 
with Lowrey, Jenkins, Hutchinson, Roberts and others, then 
insisted that Reeder should leave tlie Territory, and not put his 
life in jeopardy any longer. Accordingly, on the night of the 
10th of May he left with Jenkins, in a two-horse buggy, taking 
the road to Kansas City by way of Blanton's, on the Wakarusa, 
instead of going by Franklin, where the enemy was encamped. 
On the night of the 11th he arrived at the Eldridge hotel, in 
Kansas City, where he remained concealed eleveu days. Dur- 
ing this time he tried, through his friends, to find a safe pas- 
sage down the river on a steamer, and failed. On the uiglit of 
the 22d he disguised himself in the garb and demeanor of an 
Irishman, and boldly left his room, passed down the hall stairs. 



Historic Notes. 175 

elbowed liis way through a border riifTian crowd, and readied 
the front of the hotel, where he lazily stretched himself, and 
unchallenged took a seat near the front steps. Presently he 
got uj) and leisurely walked down the road, and went to the 
house of a Mr. Brown, (juite out of town. All day the 2:]d he 
kept concealed in Brown's house. 

Here IJeeder determined to take a skilT and row down the 
river, and await the steamboat "J. M. (Converse," Captain 
Bowman, for Pittsburg, knowing him to be friendly. The 

procuring of the skiff was left to Adams, and when it was 

quite dark he took aboard his charge^ ))r<)vided with bundles 
and two axes. They then drojjjied down half a mile below 
Bandolph Landing, which is five miles from Kansas City, and 
fastening the skiff, went into the woods and slept till morning. 
Ou tlie afternoon of this day (the 34th) the "Converse" 
stopped at the landing, and as soon as the gang plank was run 
out, Piccder, with his bundle and axe on his shoulder, hot and 
puffing and blowing, went on board. Here he remained with 
the dock hands two days, and at last was land(;d, amid thunder 
and lightning, at a wood pile on the noi-tli bank of the Mis- 
souri. Here two companions, Bassett and Brackett, accom- 
panied him across to the Mississippi, which they reached fifteen 
miles above Alton, at 8 o'clock A. m. on the 2.5th. Thus he 
effected his escape from the Territory, and perhaps from death. 
(Diary of Gov. A. H. Keeder.) 

While Governor Keeder was thus secretly effecting his es- 
cape, no greater eventful days were crowded into Kansas his- 
tory. Lawrence was sacked; the Eldridge hot(!l burned; the 
Herald of Freedom and Kdnsnx Free State offices w(!re dci- 
stroyed, and the type thrown into the Kansas river; Governor 
Robinson and many others were arrested for treason; Charles 
Sumner was stnick down in the United States Senate for his 
great speech, "The Crime Against Kansas;" Jones and Stewart 
were shot while in a defenseless condition, near Lawrence;, for 
no other crime than that they were Free-State m(!n; and .Jolin 
Brown struck his retributive !)low on the Pottawatomie. And all 
this in less than six days — from the PJth to the 24th of May, 1S50. 



176 The Song of Kansas. 

NOTE 30. 
"The South Carolina flag was blood red, with a loue white 
star, and bore the Inscription, 'Southern Rights.' This, at the 
sacking of Lawrence, on the 20th of May, 1856, was first hoisted 
over the Herald of Freedom office, and then removed to tlie 
Eldridge hotel, and there floated while the bombardment was 
going on." (Mrs. Robinson's "Kansas," p. 245.) 

NOTE 31. 
The calling out of the troops came about in this way: Sheriff 
Jones sent the foUowiug dispatch to Governor Shannon — 

Douglas County, K. T., Nov. 27, 1855. 
SiK — Last night I, with a posse of ten men, arrested one 
Jacob Bronsom, by virtue of a peace warrant regularly issued, 
who on our return was rescued by a party of forty armed men, 
who rushed upon us suddenly from behind a house upon the 
roadside, all armed to the teeth with Sharpe's rifles. 

You may consider an open rebellion as having already com- 
menced, and I call upon you for 3,000 men to carry out the 
laws. Mr. Hargis, the bearer of this letter, will give you more 
particularly the circumstances. 

Most respectfully, Samuel J. Jones, 

Sheriff of Douglas County. 
His excellency Wilson Shannon, 

Oovernor Kansas Territory. 

After a preliminary recital of the information obtained, 
Governor Shannon commands Maj. Gen. William P. Donald- 
son as follows: 

You are hereby ordered to collect together as large a force 
as you can in your division and repair without delay to Le- 
compton, and report yourself to S. J. Jones, Sheriff of Dougl.as 
county. You will inform him of the lumiber of men untler 
your control, and render him all the assistance in your power 
should he require your aid in the execution of any legal process 
in his hands. The forces under your command are to be used 
for the sole purpose of aiding the sheriff' in executing the law, 
and for none other. 

I have the honor to be, your obedient servant, 

Wilson Shannon. 

This struggle was temporarily held in abeyance by the treaty 
r)f Shannon, Lane and Robinson, which was executed December 



Historic Notes. 177 

8, 1855. At last, however, iu the May following, the blast of 
deadly war was blown. 

It may be well, iu this connection, to give Sheriff Jones' 
opinion of Governor Shannon. Nine days after the above 
executive order, G. W. Clarke killed Thomas W. Barber, and 
two days after this killing the famous Shannon, Lane and IJob- 
inson treaty was signed, and Jones was foiled in his nefarious 
designs. 

"Jones said if Shannon hadn't been a d — d old fool, that 
peace would never have been declared. He (Jones) would 
have wiped Lawrence out. He had men and means enough to 
do it. He said if Sam. Wood ever came back to the Territory 
he would take him, or die iu the attempt. He said he would 
issue his own proclamation, and not call upon Shannon, and he 
would raise boys enough in Missouri to blow Lawrence and 
every other d — d Abolition town to h — 1. He would n't have 
any old grannies to stop him." (Harrison Nichols' testimony, 
Kansas Affairs, p. 1137.) 

NOTE 33. 

On the 20th day of May, 1856, Lawrence was taken by the 
chivalry of the South. The Free State press aud Herald of 
Freedom and the Eldridge hotel were destroyed. 

Gen. D. R. Atchison addressed the crowd who did the work 
as follows : 

"Boys, this day I am a Kickapoo Ranger, by G — d. This 
day we have entered Lawrence with 'Southern Rights' in- 
scribed upon our banner, and not one d-r-d Abolitionist dared 
to fire a gun. Now, boys, this is the happiest day of my life. 
We have entered that d — d town and taught the d — d Aboli- 
tionists a Southern lesson that they will remcnnber until the 
day they die. And now, boys, we will go in again with our 
highly honorable Jones and test the strength of that d — d Free- 
State hotel, and teach the Emigrant Aid Company that Kansas 
shall be ours. Boys, ladies should and 1 hope will be respected 
by every gentleman. But when a woman takes upon herself 
the garb of a soldier by carrying a Sharpe's rifle, then she is no 

—12 



178 The Song of Kansas. 

loi\2;or wortliy of respect ; trample her inulor your feet as you 
would a snake. Come on, boys ! Now ilo your duty to your- 
selves and your Southern friends. Your duty I know you will 
do. If one man or woman dare stand before you, blow them to 
h — 1 with a chunk of cold lead." (Mrs. Kobiuson's, "Kansas," 
p. 343.) 

NOTE 33. 
"As to the charge of party bias, Ijccompte says: 'I am proud 
of mine. It has from my lirst manhood to this day placed nie 
iu the ranks of the Democratic party. It has taught me to re- 
gard that party as the one par excellence, to whicli the destinies 
of this country are particidarly intrusted for preservation. If 
it be intended to reach beyond that general application, and to 
charge a Pro-Slavery bias, I am proud, too, of this. I am the 
steady friend of Southern rights, under the constitution of the 
United Slates. I have been reared where slavery was recog- 
nized by the constitution of my State. I love the institution, 
as entwining itself around all my early and late associations.'" 
(Gihon, p. 105.) 

NOTE 34. 
Treasonable nuisance. 

NOTE 35. 

The Lecompton Union gave the following account of this 
affair: 

"During this time appeals were made to Sheriff Jones to 
save the Aid Society's hotel. This news reached the company's 
ctrs, and was received with one imiversal cry of 'No! no! blow 
it up ! blow it up ! ' 

"About this time a banner was seen fluttering in the breeze 
over the oflice of the Herald of Freedom. Its color was a blood 
red, with a lone star in the center, and 'South Carolina' above. 
This banner was placed there by the Carolinians, Messrs. "Wright 
and a Mr. Cross. The etfect was prodigious. One tremendous 
and loug-coutiuued shout burst from the ranks. Thus floated 



Historic Notes. 170 

iu triumph the banner of South Carolina, thatsins^ic white star, 
so emblematic of her course in tlie early liistory of our sectional 
disturbances. When every other Soutlu-rn .State stood almost 
ui)on the verge of ceding its dearest riglits to the North, Caro- 
lina stood boldly out, the firm and unwavering advocate of 
Southern institutions. 

"Thus floated victoriously the first banner of Southern rights 
over the Abolition town of Lawrence, unfurUul by the noble 
sons of Carolina, and every whip of its folds seemed a death 
stroke to Beecher propagandism and the fanatics of the East. 
O ! that its red folds could have been seen by every Southern 
eye! 

"Mr. Jones listened to many entreaties, and finally replied 
that it was beyond his power to do anything, and gave the oc- 
cupants so long to remove all property from it, lie ordered 
two compam'es into each printing office to destroy the presses. 
Both presses were broken up and thrown into the street, the 
type thrown into the river, and all the maUaial iKilonging to 
each office destroyed. After this was accomi)lishe(i, and the 
private property removed from the hotel by ditl'eriuit com- 
panies, the cannon were brought in front of (he house, and 
directed their destructive blows upon the walls. The building 
caught on fire, and soon its walls came with a crash to the 
ground. Thus fell the Abolition fm'tress; and we hope this 
will teach the Aid Society a good lesson for tlie future." 
(Quoted by Gihon, p. 84.) 

"Jones himself was in ecstacies. He sat upon his horse, 
contemplating the havoc he was making, and, rubbing his hands 
with wild delight, exclaimed: 'This is the happiest day of my 
life. I determined to make the fanatics bow before me in the 
dust and kiss the Territorial laws, and 1 have done it; by G — d, 
1 have done it.'" (Gihon, p. «5.) 

NOTE 36. 
The Quantrell raid. 



180 The Song of Kansas. 

NOTE 37. 

On tlie 19th and 20th of May, 1856, Charles Sumner made, 
in the U. S. Senate, his great speech — ''The crime against 
Kansas.^' In tliis he said : "A few sliort months have passed 
since this spacious mediterranean country was open only to the 
savage, who ran wild in its woods and prairies; and now it has 
already drawn to its bosom a population of freemen larger than 
Athens crowded within her historic gates, when her sons under 
Miltiades won liberty for mankind on the field of Marathon ; 
more than Sparta contained when she ruled Greece, and sent 
forth her devoted children quickened by a mother's benediction 
to return with their shields or on them; more than Rome gath- 
ered on her seven hills, when under her kings she conmienced 
that sovereign sway which afterward embraced the whole earth ; 
more than London held when on the fields of Crecy and Agin- 
court the English banner was carried victoriously over the 
chivalrous hosts of France." 

NOTE 38. 

Mrs. H. A. Ropes gives the following pen portrait of Reese 
P. Brown, murdered on the 19th of January, 1856 : 

"Captain Brown lived but a few hours after his wounds 
were inflicted. He was taken prisoner by men from Platte 
county, and confined in a room, to be hung the next morning, 
but so greedy were his captors for his blood that, before he was 
really led out of the entrance to his prison, hatchets were raised 
above his head and bowie knives thrust into his body. He fell 
most barbarously wounded. At his earnest request he was 
placed in a wagon and taken to his home, where, on his arrival, 
he had just time enough to bid farewell to his wife and chil- 
dren. 

"Captain Brown was born at the South, emigrated from Ohio 
to this Territory with his family, and located near Fort Leav- 
enworth. In the autumn he came to Lawrence and remained 
till our safety was no longer in jeopardy. In personal appear- 
ance he was quite a marked man, even in a crowd. He was 
vmusually tall, with a rich brown complexion, dark, abundant 



Historic Notes. 181 

Iiair and heard, and ej'es large, dark, and sad in expression. I 
do not thiidv that any one who ever saw him will forget his 
personal appearance; and no dweller in Kansas can ever for- 
get the mark his cruel death has made upon the pages of its 
early history." (Six Months in Kansas, p. 169.) 

NOTE 39. 

"On Monday, May 19th, word came into Lawrence of the 
murder of a young man by tlie name of Jones, the support of 
his widowed mother. He had been to Lawrence for a bag of 
meal, and returning, was ordered to halt by a band of the mar- 
shal's posse near Blanton's bridge. He obeyed the order of 
the ruffianly assassins, and they disarmed him. Then they 
ordered him to proceed, and, as he did so, two of tiie posse ex- 
claimed: 'Let's shoot the d — d Abolitionist !' Suiting the ac- 
tion to the word, the balls sped on their swift errand, and the 
recording angel wrote against the names of some high in power 
another murder. 

"Several young men immediately left Lawrence to go to the 
spot where young Jones fell, and about a mile from Lawrence 
they met two men from Westport. Another ball did the bid- 
ding of the slave interest, and another witness appeared against 
its supporters In the high court where perjury enters not, and 
packed juries are unknown. The body of young Stewart, so 
lately come among ns, was brought into town and laid in the 
hotel. So sudden was his passage from this to the nnseen life, 
that the placid countenance wore not the aspect of death, but 
the beautiful repose of a dreamy sleep." (Mrs. Kobinsou's 
"Kansas," p. 338.) 

NOTE 40. 
During Monroe's administration the Missouri compromise 
measure came up. A bill organizing the Territory of Mis- 
souri was introduced, and James Tallmadge, of New York, 
moved in the House to insert a clause prohibiting any further 
introduction of slaves, and freeing those already there on at- 
taining the age of twenty-five years. This came to a vote, 



182 The Song of Kansas. 

standing eighty -seven for, to seventy-six against. Afterward, 
on a bill to organize the Territory of Arkansas, on a motion to 
exclude slavery from any Territory of the United States north 
of latitude 36° 30^ Mr. Cobb, of Georgia, looking at Tallmadge, 
said: "A fire has been kindled which all the waters of the ocean 
cannot pilt out, and which only seas of blood can extinguish." 
Tallmadge replied: "If dissolution of the Union must take 
place, let it be so. If civil war must come, let it come. My 
hold on life is probably as frail as any man's who hears me; 
but while it lasts it shall be devoted to the freedom of man. 
If blood is necessary to put out this fire, I shall not hesitate to 
give my own." 

NOTE 41. 
"John Brown was a Bible worshiper, if ever any man was. 
He read and meditated on the Bible constantly. In his will he 
bequeathed a Bible to each of his childen and grandchildren, 
and he wrote to his family a few days before his execution : 
'I beseech you every one to make the Bible your daily and 
nightly study.'" (Sanborn's "Life of John Brown," p. 121.) 

NOTE 42. 

' ' The weapons used were short cutlasses or artillery sabres 
which had been originally worn by a military company in Ohio, 
and were brought from Akron, in 1855, by John BrowJi. 
They were straight and broad, like an old anny sword, and 
were freshly ground for this expedition at the camp of John 
Brown, jr." (Sanborn's "John Brown," p. 264.) 

NOTE 43. 
At the time of this "taking off" by John Brown, Governor 
Robinson, Gains Jenkins, G. W. Brown, G. W. Deitzler and 
G. W. Smith were under arrest and indictment for high treason, 
and it is highly probable they would have been hanged for the 
crime charged had not this retributive blow been struck by 
John Brown just at this time. Lecompte, the Chief Justice, 
was just the man who would have gloried in executing sen- 



Ilistoi'le Notes. 183 

tence. But John Brown, who took iu the whole situation of 
Kansas affairs, and saw the wrath of the slave power culminat- 
ing in the blood of freemen, arose like some avenging spirit, 
with a genius quickened by inspiration, and struck the blow 
which sent terror into the soul of Leconipte, and paralyzed the 
judicial arm. Brown afterward said : "If the Lord had ileliv- 
ered Judge Lecompte into my hands, it would have required 
the Lord to have taken him out again." 

NOTE 44. 

"Fugit is the person who made a bet in this (Leavenworth) 
city last August, 1856, that before night he would have a 
Yankee scalp. He got a horse and rode out into the couutry 
and met a German, a brother-in-law of the Kev. E. Nute, 
named Hoppe. He asked if he was from Lawrence; Hoppe 
replied that he was. Fugit immediately leveled his revolver 
and fired, the shot taking effect in the temples, and Hoppe fell 
a corpse. The assassin dismounted from his horse, cut the 
scalp from the back of his head, tied it to the end of a pole, and 
returned to town, exhibiting it to the people and boasting of 
his exploit. The body of the victim was found shortly after 
and buried on Pilot Knob, about two miles distant from the 
city. This same Fugit was one of the party who, when the 
widow came from Lawrence to look for her husband's corpse, 
forced her on board a steamer and sent her down the river. 
A gentleman now living in this city (Leavenworth) saw him 
exhibiting four scalps at one time during the troubles of last 
summer " ( 1856 ) . (Correspondent of Missouri Democrat, quoted 
by Gihon, p. 300.) 

NOTE 45. 
"When the army from Missouri was disbanded, by order 
of Gov. Geary, on the morning of the 15th of November, 1856, 
the great body of it returned at once to the State by the West- 
port road, committing every atrocity iu their power as they 
passed along. They burned the saw mill at Franklin, stole a 
number of horses, and drove off all the cattle they could find. 



184 Tlie Song of Kansas. 

A detachment calling themselves the 'Kickapoo rangers,' 
numbering about 250 or 300 men, under command of Col. 
Clarkson, took the road for Lecompton, where they forded the 
river early in the afternoon on their way to the northern part 
of the Territory. This party was mounted and well armed, 
and looked like as desperate a set of ruffians as ever were 
gathered together. They still carried the black flag; and their 
cannon, guns, swords and carriages were yet decorated with the 
black emblems of their murderous intentions. 

"Six men of this detachment, when within a few miles of 
Lecompton, halted by a field, where a poor, inoffensive lame 
man named David C. Butfum was at work. They entered the 
field, and after robbing him of his horses one of them shot him 
In the abdomen, from which wound he soon afterward died. 
The murderer also carried away a pony belonging to a young 
girl." ( Gihon, p. 166.) 

For this crime one Charles Hays was arrested, indicted for 
murder in the first degree, and set at liberty without trial by 
Chief Justice Lecompte. He was then arrested by order of 
Governor Geary, and again set at liberty by Lecompte. And 
this ended the conflict between the executive and the judiciary 
of the Territory. 

NOTE 46. 
Capt. Samuel "Walker went twice with his small army to 
Lecompton. First, on the 16th of August, 1856, at which time 
the fort of Titus was taken and burned, and five prisoners 
liberated. The second time was about three weeks after, 
which was shotless and bloodless. The prisoners were all lib- 
erated, and Lecompton fell. 

NOTE 47. 
"On Monday morning, February 9, 1857, accompanied by Dr. 
Gihon and Richard McAllister, Esq., the Governor visited suc- 
cessively tlie Supreme Court, the Council and the House of 
Representatives, all of wliich were in session. As they passed 
into the latter hall and took their seats within the bar and 



Historic Notes. 185 

among the members, Sherrarcl, who occupied a seat in one cor- 
ner of the room, unseen by the Governoi", was observed to mani- 
fest a strange uneasiness of manner, and with a heavy scowl 
upon his countenance, and muttering some unintelligible 
words, suddenly arose and quit the apartment. The Gov- 
ernor remained a half hour or more, and then took his leave. 
As he was about to step from the main hall into the adjoining 
anteroom, Sherraril stood in the door, having gone off and pro- 
cured an extra pistol to the one he usually wore, both of which, 
contrary to his custom, he had placed conveniently in a belt 
buckled on the outside of his clothing. In his breast he also 
carried a huge bowie knife. Before the Governor had closed 
the door, Sherrard accosted him with the words: 'You have 
treated me like a d — ^d scoundrel.' The Governor passed on 
without noticing the man, much less his opprobrious salutation. 
Mr. McAllister followed, and as they passed toward the outer 
door his person interposed between that of Sherrard and the 
Governor. Dr. Gihon was the last to leave the hall and enter 
the anteroom, when he saw Sherrard spitting after the Gov- 
ernor, at the same time muttering oaths and threats of defiance, 
his right hand firmly grasping one of the pistols in his belt. 
Adjoining the anteroom was another small room, the door of 
which was partially opened, and there stood several ruffians 
who had been apprised of the intended assassination, and were 
ready to take their part in the bloody work. The Governor 
and his friends were unaiTned. Had he halted to speak to 
Sherrard, or turned upon him, or in any possible way given an 
excuse for the deed, he would have been shot down like a dog, 
and himself and companions riddled with balls, and the nuu- 
derer's allies would have been left to tell the story and justify 
their infamons crime." (Gihon, pp. 333, 234.) 

NOTE 48. 
The same G. W. Clarke who shot Barber went through 
Linn county in the fall of 18.56, at the head of a band of Pro- 
Slavery cut throats, outlaws and ruffians, and devastated the 
county with fire and sword. They burned a store at Sugar 



180 The Song of Kansas. 

Mound, and other biiildiiisrs noar the present town of ^[oluul 
City; they pilh\u:ed from and drove out the Free-State settU'rs 
along Little and" Big Sugar, and threatened death to all who 
should come back. In the following winter Montgomery or- 
ganized his band, styled the 'Self-Protective Company,' after- 
wanls known by the immortal name of Jayhawkers. By this 
move of Montgomery's, which was strictly retaliatory, the Free- 
State men s«H)n returned, and ever after stoixt by their claims 
and defended their rights. A writer, now of Topeka. and who 
in the saddle was one of Montgomery's men in 1858, then wrote 
as follows: "Montgomery, from his retirement, saw it all. He 
saw every Free-Stale man of note either driven from or har- 
rassed into leaving the county. He saw them deliberately 
plundered of cattle, horses, gooils and crops; in many instances 
their cabins burned, and outrages committed of such atrocity 
that even decency forbids their mention. He saw the gnilty 
parties grow rich in a night on property thus pillaged from his 
Free-State neighbors. He saw all attempts at redress by law 
scouted at or thwarted. 

"For a long time Montgomery and others waited for redress 
by law of all their abuses, and probably would have waited 
longer, had they seen quy signs of justice assuming the scepter 
of command; but things daily contiiuiing to grow woi-se, he at 
last obeyed the call of an injured people, and summoning a few 
of his neighbors together, he enrolled them in a company styled 
the 'Self-rrotective Company,' and took the field to check 
some of the gigantic evils that had crept into the politic and 
legal ccxle of the county. A policy of action was then agreed 
upon, which was strictly carried out. Every man of influence 
in Linn county, who sustained the 'Blue Loilge' in its secret 
machinations, and upheld the 'Bogus Cwle' and the Pro-Slavery 
Lecompton government, whether by fraud, violence or murder, 
was warned to leave the Territory in a certain time, and take 
with him his property. Some left, and some refused to go. 
Thi>se who did not leave within the specified time were visitwi 
again, when their houses were searched, and arms, ammunitiim, 
horses, etc., taken from them. In no case, however, was tlie 



Historic Notes. 187 

house of a Pro-Slavory man hiiniod, or his pro|)('it,y wantonly 
destroyed, by Montf^oniery and liis nuMi. 'I'lie ejected oceuj)ant 
had full penuissioii to sell or transfer his i)roperty in any way 
he chose, no restraint whatever beinj^ imposed on liis acttions. 

"This bold and decided course on the part of tin; Kree-,Stat<! 
men had the desired effect; peace was for the time; being se- 
cured, and Montgomery retired to his homo. .So universally 
approved of, however, was his course, by the s(!ttl(Ms from 
whose neck he had lifted the galling yoke; they had so long 
worn, that they would have at any tinn; respdudtrd c.a musxi' to 
any call lie might have made on their time and services." ( \V. 
P. Tomlinson's '* Kansas in 1858.") 

NOTE 49. 
The "Bogus Laws" were publicly burned in some parts of 
Linn in 185.5 and 185G. 

NOTE 50. 
These were slavery phrases of the border rufhan days. 

NOTE 51. 
A Sharpe's rifle was in those days called a "Ueedier," in 
honor of Henry Ward Beecher. 

NOTE 52. 
.JOHN ISUOWN'S PAKAI.I.EL3, 

While the following letter is dattid at the Trading Post, in 
Linn county, it was a<;tually writt(!n on the I'ottawalomie, while 
John i>rown was leisurely and carefully wending his way to 
Canada with his captured colored people, there to set them free. 
The letter was addressed to the New York Tribune: 

Tkadino Post, Kas., January, 18.59. 
Gentlemen: You will greatly oblige an humble friend by al- 
lowing tlie use of your columns while 1 briefly state two paral- 
l(;ls in my i)Oor way. 

Not one yeai- ago eleven quiet citizens of this neighborhood, 
William Robertson, William Colpet/.er, Amos Hall, Austin Hall, 
John Campbell, Asa Snyder, Thomas Stillwell, William Hair- 



188 The Song of Kansas. 

grove, Asa Ilairgiove, Patrick Ross and B. L. Reed were gath- 
ered up from their work and tlieir iiomes bj^ an armed force, 
under one Hamilton, and, without trial or opportunity to si)eak 
in their own defense, were formeil into line, and all but one 
shot, five killed and five wounded; one fell unharmed, pretend- 
ing to be dead. All were left for dead. The only crime alleged 
against them was that of being Free-State men. Now, I in<iiiire 
what action has ever since the occurrence in May last been taken 
by either the President of the United States, the Governor of 
Missouri, the Governor of Kansas, or any of their tools, or by 
any Pro-Slavery or administration man, to ferret out and punish 
the perpetrators of this crime? 

Now for the other parallel: On Sunday, December 19th, a 
negro man called Jim came over to the Osage settlement from 
Missouri, and stated that he, together with his wife, two chil- 
dren and another negro man were to be sold within a day or 
two, and begged for help to get away. On Monday (the fol- 
lowing) night, two small cojnpanies were made up to go to Mis- 
souri and forcibly liberate the five slaves, together with other 
slaves. One of these companies I assumed to direct. We pro- 
ceeded to the place, surrounded the buildings, liberated the 
slaves, and also took certain property supposed to belong to 
the estate. We, however, learned before leaving that a portion 
of these articles we had taken belonged to a man living on the 
plantation as a tenant, and who was supposed to have no in- 
terest in the estate. We promptly returned to him all we had 
taken. We then went to another plantation, where we found 
five more slaves, took some property, and two white men. We 
moved all slowly away into the Territory for some distance, and 
then sent the white men back, telling them to follow us as soon 
as they chose to do so. The other company freed one female 
slave, took some property, and, as I am informed, killed one 
white man, the master, who fought against the liberation. 

Now for a comparison: Eleven persons are forcibly restored 
to their natural and iualienable rights, with but one man killed, 
and all liell is stirred from beneath. It is currently reported 
that the Governor of Missouri has made a requisition upon the 
Governor of Kansas for the delivery of all such as were con- 
cerned in'the last-named "dreadful outrage." The marshal of 
Kansas is said to be collecting a posse of Missouri (not Kansas) 
men at West Point, in Missouri, a little town about ten miles 
distant, to enforce the laws; all Pro-Slavery, conservative, 
Free-State and dough-face men, and administration tools, are 
filled with holy horror. 

Consider the two cases, and the action of the administration 
party. Respectfully yours, John Buown. 



Historic Notes. 189 

NOTE 53. 
"Kansas furnished more troops to the Union army in pro- 
portion tf) her inhabitants than any otiier State in the Union, 
her population iu 1860 being 107,206, and troops furnished 
20,151." 







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